A New Circumstance
by Sarnai4
Summary: Dagur and Mala must learn to rule by each other's side. Can the deranged chief and regal queen keep their combined people safe and happy?
1. Complications

**Disclaimer: I own none of these characters. All copyrights go to Dreamworks and Cartoon Network/Netflix**

**For this story, please suspend your disbelief enough to accept that the Bewilderbeast evoked a Submaripper to swim underneath either Berserker Island or Defender of the Wing Island and they now are connected.**

Dagur smiled as he put the wedding ring on Mala's finger. She returned the look as she put one on his and they kissed one another, romantically. Their friends cheered as they were united into marriage. "Congratulations, Brother. We're really happy for you." Hiccup said, giving the Berserker a pat on the shoulder. Dagur brought him into a bear hug and Fishlegs came over, "You didn't look nervous at all, Dagur. Were you?" The new king shook his head, "Not one bit, Fishy. There was no reason to be. Our union shall be blessed by Odin." Dagur said, dramatically.

Meanwhile, Astrid and Heather were giving their congratulations to Mala. "Thank you, friends." The new chieftess stated, "I am most glad that you all introduced me to my king, Astrid Hofferson." The warrior smiled, "It's nothing. Honestly, I'm still a bit surprised that you two **are** in love." Mala laughed, "Very much so. I have never felt the way I do about anyone else with whom I have come in contact." Ruffnut came over with an ornery air, "Yeah, Sister, but watch out 'cause he **is** still deranged, after all."

Astrid pushed her and Heather gave Ruff a death glare. Turning to Mala, Heather said, "Ignore her. We normally do. My brother loves you a lot, Mala. He might never be the most sane person you'll meet, but he'll make sure you're safe. I'll promise you that." Mala smiled, gratefully.

Tuffnut went over to Dagur, "So, chief **and** king now, huh?" The man puffed out his chest, proudly, "Yep. Do you know how powerful our alliance will be?" Tuff thought and shrugged, "Nope. Rarely do, but aren't you worried about all the stress? I mean, you gotta make sure the Berserkers are fine-not even talking about Heather being new to the lifestyle-the Defenders are fine, and that Mala still, you know, wants to be with you." Dagur looked at him, calmly, "I know how to lead people and so does Mala. We'll work together to figure out how to combine our knowledge to best service our, now combined, people. And, as for her wanting to be with me, we love each other more than you could imagine. We'll figure things out when hard times come."

Tuffnut gave an unamused shrug and Snotlout joined, "And they **will** come, my friend, they **will** come." Fishlegs frowned, "What are **you** talking about now? Can't it end with Tuff?" "Nope." Snotlout said, "Dagur, my man, you have a **horrible** temper. Mala's a classy lady, I mean, look at her first choice." he went into a pose. "Your point being?" Dagur questioned, annoyed, "My point is that you've got a lot of baggage and Mala just might not have the upper body strength to carry everyone."

The Berserker's face twitched and Hiccup had had enough, "Okay, both of you, go." he said, firmly. Tuffnut and Snotlout left, "Don't listen to them. You'll be fine." Hiccup insisted and Dagur gave a weak smile. There was a feast that night and everyone left, content.

Mala and Dagur finally had some time alone. She caressed his face and he held her, closely. She loved how she felt in his arms and he loved how her touch felt. "I love you, Malapoo." he told her. "And I you, Dagur the Deranged." she said, in her royal way. They went to bed and fell asleep after a while.

Mala kept thinking about what Ruffnut had said. _"I know about his past, but also his present. He's a different man now. Dangerous still? Yes, but only to our enemies and that is incredibly attractive."_ she thought. Unbeknownst to her, Dagur was on the opposite side of the bed, thinking also.

"_She's so used to order and properness. Can I provide that? I can keep her safe, but will she be happy?" _he wondered, unhappily. Neither slept that night, but greeted the other, jovially, the subsequent morning.

"Morning, Love." the said, in unison and rose. They got ready for the day and met up for breakfast. Dagur made fixed meat and Mala fixed the sweet treat. They walked around their kingdom and Throk called to them. "My Queen and King, the Great Protector has become ill. I fear that he might not be able to eat enough lava to prevent our destruction." The couple looked at each other and went to the dragon.


	2. The Wait

Dagur and Mala found the dragon looking lethargic. The queen bent down and rubbed the Eruptodon's skin, resulting in a small noise. "He almost sounds sad." Dagur thought, aloud. Mala rose, "I can see nothing wrong with the Great Protector. Perhaps he is only fatigued." Throk nodded, reluctantly, and the three exited the volcano.

Defenders crowded around the royal pair, "Is the Great Protector all right?" they questioned. "We shall wait to see if the Great Protector needs rest and if after two day after tomorrow he does not regain his vigor, measures to ensure all of our healths will be taken." Mala assured them. They agreed to the plan and dispersed, gradually. Once they were gone, Mala turned to her husband, "It should only be fatigue, yes?" Dagur looked at her, "I don't know. He didn't look wounded or like anything was wrong. Could there be something in the lava that might cause whatever the issue is?" "No, this volcano has served as nutrition for the Eruptodon for centuries. Nothing new could be there."

Less than enthusiastically, they continued their walk throughout the kingdom. "You cannot put your dragon over here." a defender complained. They turned to see a Berserker lad and his dragon. Heather was trying to mediate between the people. "Mjir, this is his property. Please, just go somewhere else to play." Mjir continued, "But, **this** isn't his property. His starts over there." he pointed to a fenced in area, "I was going to train and he came out to stop me."

Dagur went over to the scene. "I think it might be **better** training if you go to the stables. We already have everything set up too. You can throw swords at the targets while you do loops." the chief offered, excitedly. Mjir brightened, "Really?" Dagur nodded and the lad hopped onto his dragon and flew off as the defender went inside. Heather smiled, gratefully, "And that's why you're chief." she laughed and waved to her sister-in-law. "Hey, Mala." The queen grinned, "Hello, Heather. Thank you for trying to stop this." Heather shrugged, "I don't really get what the problem was. Mjir actually was right. Bur's property isn't over here. I'm not sure why he was upset."

The couple frowned and told her that they had to keep looking around. Nothing else seemed to be off and they went to the stables, themselves. The pair greeted Sleuther and Dagur put his head on the dragon's, affectionately. "Ready?" he asked his wife, with a deranged smile. He gave an exaggerated bow and offered his hand. Mala laughed at the expression and took his hand as they got on the Triple Stryke's back. They did some loops and practiced gaining speed sooner in flight.

They did this a while longer and then sparred. They loved sparring, it was the thing that had started their respect and attraction for each other. "Watch it, Malapoo. You're slipping." Dagur said, teasingly, as Mala, barely, dodged a tackle. "It is so sweet that you worry about my well being even when you, yourself, are doomed." she taunted back. He laughed and they kept going.

Exhaustion was settling in and they both breathed, heavily. "Perhaps...we can.. continue our quarrel...tomorrow?" Mala suggested, panting. Dagur nodded and literally swept her off her feet. She laughed, "Dagur, what are you doing?" He grinned, "You **are** tired, aren't you?" Mala wrapped her arms around his neck, dramatically, "My love, this is, truly, the best way to travel."

The next day came and Mala woke to see that she was the only one in the bed. She readied heeself for the day and went to the living area. Dagur had made some breakfast for her that she, happily, ate. She went back to see the Great Protector. He was the same. Dagur was already there and they greeted each other. He sighed, "Come on, big boy, get better." The pair left the area again and were greeted by Throk, "Is there any improvement?" They shook their heads and Throk fought to not slouch in depression. "**I **will guard the Great Protector in his time of need, my queen and king." he bowed. "Such an act is unnecessary, but appreciated, Throk.We must endure longer." Mala told him.

Dagur and Mala could not help, but think that the temperature was a bit warmer than usual. They heard a shout. "Stop sneaking around here like that." a Berserker yelled at two defenders. "We are just walking. Maybe if you were to be more aware of your surroundings, we would not have frightened you." one said, calmly. The Berserker shook with rage and reached for his weapon. Dagur came from behind him and touched his arm, stopping him.

"Chief and Chieftess, good **you** can settle this. Do I need to be more aware of my surroundings or should they stop sneaking?" he asked. The couple looked at one another. Dagur smirked, "Did you know I was right here?" The Berserker soldier shook his head. Dagur laughed, "More awareness never hurts anyone. It's helped me more times than I can count!" This calmed the viking down and as the defenders began to sneak away, Mala stopped them, "Also, you two **were** sneaking. It was evident and you must learn to be not so clandestine. There is no way to view an enemy from here, so it leaves one to assume that your goal was evoking a fright."

The defenders sulked off and the Berserker returned to his business. The chief and queen shook their heads and went to continue looking. Another day came and, again, Mala found herself alone in the bed. A new breakfast had been prepared and in it she partook. She found her husband checking on things. "Morning, Mala. Sleep well?" She nodded, "Thank you for the breakfast." "No problem." He wiped his brow, "I hope that our Eruptodon eats more of that lava. We'll melt by next week if he doesn't." Another confrontation occurred that day and the two had to correct everything.

The day before the last had come and the morning ritual was the same. A group of Defenders and Berserkers argued about a piece of land in between where the islands met. The couple sighed, "Can this land not belong to everyone? There is no border to where one group ends and another begins. We are all one kingdom now. Please act like it." Mala said. She and Dagur went to their home and he leaned against a wall. "What do we do if the Great Protector isn't better by tomorrow? Everyone's **so** tense." he noted. Mala looked unsure, "I have not an idea."

The final day came and the royal pair went to see the Eruptodon and were discouraged to see its state. Still, it was lethargic. It **did** eat lava, but slower than what would be preferred. "There is still nothing, visibly, wrong with him. We must tell the others our news." Mala stated.

Defenders and Berserkers crowded around them, "The Great Protector's not any better." Dagur told them. The groups were silent and then bursted into shouts, targeted at the other side.


	3. Boiling and Building

"This is **your **fault, Berserkers!" a Defender yelled, "The Great Protector never had this issue before you came here!" "Our fault? Last time I checked, your 'Great Protector' has had a lot of problems. You all let it be captured on your watch, for instance!" a Berserker fired back. "Just like you all allowed a coup to go unencumbered." another Defender shot. Everything was said so quickly and with such anger that neither leader was able to say anything to stop the argument.

Both Berserkers and Defenders, soon, drew their weapons and prepared to attack. "Enough!" Dagur yelled, furiously. The people stopped and looked at the two. Mala cleared her throat,"This is no one's fault. The Great Protector just needs healing. Whether one group was here or not, would make no impact." Berserker Herald scoffed, "Sure, Queeny. You think it's our fault too no doubt. Why should we Berserkers even listen to a Defender?" "You'll listen to her because she's your chieftess." Dagur hissed.

Some Berserkers grumbled, then quit doing so after receiving a look from their chief. The Defenders glared at Mala, "I suppose you would say a similar statement, Queen?" She nodded, indignantly. Both people left the area, quietly complaining all the way.

"There is nothing I can think of that would help the Eruptodon. Only time could heal him and it seems like we do not have much." Mala stated, solemnly. Dagur put an arm over her shoulders, comfortingly, "It's in Odin's hands. We'll just have to do our part in fixing what we can." She gave her husband a weak smile and they started for home.

At the hut, Dagur kept pondering over something. "Dagur, I fear that if you are any more pensive, you might find yourself imploding." Mala stated, grinning. He frowned at the table, "I've been thinking about making some precautions for just in case the Great Protector **can't **eat all the lava." She sat down beside him, "And what would these precautions be?" Dagur pulled out a piece of paper and on it was a drawing of the entire island.

He pointed to the volcano, "If lava starts coming this way, our best bet would be if we can somehow separate this part from the rest of the island." Mala's eyes widened, "Separate it? I suppose, if we combine viking and dragon power, we might be able to complete the task." "Exactly. The Eruptodon will, most likely, still eat some lava, but if we aren't so close to it, that's better for us."

Mala met up with Dagur, then next morning, at the Hall. "Our healers are working on the Great Protector now." The chief stated. "We're burning up!" a Berserker complained and more agreed. "I know, but fighting each other isn't going to make that stop." Dagur reasoned. He saw his wife and smiled. "Calm down, everyone." she said. "As Dagur said, healers are at work. Infighting will only weaken our kingdom."

"You always talk like you think we're stupid!" one viking told her. This took Mala aback and Dagur scowled, "If you're so insecure to assume someone's talking down to you whenever they try to be rational, that's not Mala's fault." A Defender popped her head up, "And **you **are always on the brink of insanity. We do not want to live under the reign of an unstable viking."

More Defenders rallied behind her and they were silenced by Mala. "If Dagur has harmed or threatened any of you, since reforming, speak now." A silence fell over the group. "In that case, my husband's stability is only an issue for our enemies." The Defenders began to file out and the Berserkers followed.

The two looked at each other and Dagur had an unreadable expression. "Are you okay?" he asked Mala. She gave a grave nod, "I suppose. What of you, love?" He gave a small nod in response.

Mala awoke to their customary morning, the following day, and went down to the village. She saw Dagur and gave him a "hello" kiss. The viking took her hand and they strode to the borderline between the two islands. "So you can just leave and take your dragon slaves with you!" The two heard someone yell. Dagur groaned and Mala struggled to contain one, herself.

"Well, thank you. If we leave, there won't be any chance of being roasted alive because of your stupid Eruptodon!" Herald shouted back. "**Please** everyone, stop." Throk pleaded. "This is insane! Killing each other won't help anyone." Heather added. They were ignored and the people drew their weapons. The leading pair were too far from the location to stop them and a fight broke loose.

Metal clanged and battle cries filled the air. Mala and Dagur ran to get in between the groups, getting in the way **just** before a person from the opposite tribe could be killed. "My Queen, please move." a Defender requested. He was about to cut a head off a Berserker warrior. Mala stood, firmly, "I will not allow you to kill one of my subjects. If you wish to attack someone so badly, **I** am always available." He stood down and lowered his sword.

"Chief, we aren't meant to be connected with these people. Just because **you** want to be with Mala, shouldn't mean we have to suffer." Dagur was told. "Suffering is optional for all of you. We aren't that different. Think, strategically, if you won't, civilly. Our combined forces will make it far less likely to lose battles. Along with more weapons being made, more food can be too. Does **that** seem like a good reason to be connected with these people?" he questioned.

The Berserker soldier thought and scowled. "Whatever you say, Chief." He put his ax back and went to the side with the other Berserkers. Throk and Heather emerged from the crowd and went to the couple, disshevled. "Are you two all right?" Dagur asked, concerned. They nodded, but Throk was very worried, "I must go check on the Great Protector. This confrontation began before I could descend into the volcano." "Very well, Throk. We shall pray that your report can be joyous." Mala stated.

Throk started off towards the Eruptodon and Heather looked at the two, "It started out of nowhere. Just random. I don't even know who started it all." her face saddened, "We can't live like this. Neither group can. Maybe-" "Sis," Dagur cut her off, "don't even think like that. We're not going anywhere." he gave Mala's hand a, gentle, squeeze, "This'll work out, Odin willing."

Throk came running up to the trio, "Throk?" Mala began. He panted and had a look of horror in his eyes,"The lava is building! It will, soon, come into the village!"


	4. What Must Be Done

The trio began to run towards the volcano, but Mala stopped after seeing that Dagur was going in another direction. "Where are you going?" she called. "To the stables. I'll be right there." he answered. Confused, she kept running. They reached where the lava was coming, "Bring whatever you can find to obstruct the lava's flow." Mala ordered.

The people put woods and metals in the way of the molten lava, but to no avail. The burning substance extended its path closer to the kingdom. The people ran to catch up with the lava and found a large trench. Mala looked in wonder at it and saw someone in the crater. Dagur and Sleuther were putting the finishing touches on the trench to separate the island from the volcano.

The lava was coming in, quickly, but the dragon and viking's speed was faster. A plow had been attached to Sleuther and they sped back and forth on the land, causing it to deepen. Mud began to form as they neared the water and the lava was, practically, on top of them. "You don't have enough time!" Mala called down. A pit formed in her stomach, seeing the firy sludge so close to her beloved.

Glancing up, Dagur saw that she was correct. They were so close that it seemed foolish to stop, but the larger fool would have been the one that stayed to complete the job. "Come on, Strykie. This'll have to do." With an agreeing roar, the dragon flew upwards. Lava poured down around them as the Triple Stryke, impressively, dodged and sped through to where the people stood.

Dagur dismounted his dragon and patted its head, lovingly as Mala rushed over and embraced them both. The people could do little more than watch as the lava flowed into the trench. About half way up, it stopped. A silence filled the air until it was replaced by a cheer. The leaders and seconds-in-command sighed breaths of relief.

"We didn't die." Heather quietly said, disbelievingly. "When did you get all of this done?" Throk asked Dagur. "Mainly in the morning. I got some Berserkers and Defenders to help, I think, **just** before you do your usual rounds." the king told. "Thank Thor you did." his sister said. Dagur's brow furrowed, "But we still need to fix this issue. That won't hold all the lava that volcano has to offer." "In the meantime, it shall cool and that will allow everyone to further deepen the trench." Mala stated.

A Defender came over to them, "Please, my Queen. This has **never** occurred before now. Not **with** our Great Protector here. May you consider the possibility that our new citizens and neighbors could be the cause?" Mala kept her gaze from a glare, "No. Whether Dagur and the Berserkers were here or not, the Eruptodon would behave the same." Another Defender approached, "Allow us to test that theory. For one week, enforce that the Berserkers stay on their island and not come to ours. Should nothing change, we will offer our sincerest apologies;however, should we be correct, more drastic measures should be taken."

More Defenders supported this idea and a mob threatened to commence. "Silence." Mala ordered. She hesitated and looked at Dagur and Heather. They gave firm nods and she went on, "We shall agree to this idea. For one week only, no Berserker will pass the border that lies between our islands. Likewise, no Defender shall pass either."

Some Berserkers chuckled, "Didn't think that you all would be kept out too, huh?" one nudged a Defender. Dagur stepped forward, "Tomorrow will be the first day of this week. If anything needs to be taken care of, please do it now." Some people exchanged items that they had agreed to earlier and a few children enjoyed playing with one another.

Heather frowned, "What if they're right?" she inquired. "Then we'll have to figure it out from there. A war between us would have started if Mala hadn't said what she did." Dagur told her. "I ensure you that this is **not** what I want, Heather." Mala insisted. "I know." Heather stated, dejectedly. Her brother put a hand on her shoulder and she smiled at him.

Throk looked on depressed, "This shall be an arduous week, my King. I will, impatiently, await both of your returns." he gave the two a salut. "You'll be missed to, Throk." Dagur stated, sincerely, "But, hopefully, this won't be a goodbye for long." He turned to his wife and they went home, hand in hand.

Mala laid in their bed, "I had hoped that it would never come to this. Why can our people not get along as you and I do?" Dagur sunk down beside her and held her close, "Well, even **we** didn't get along at first." he laughed. She giggled as well-his laugh always did that to her. "I don't think they'd be open to trust exercises, but if we can find a common ground. Maybe some kind of festivity?" Mala's face lit up, "Maybe. There could be one that has something new for everyone." Dagur nodded, excitedly, "That way, no one can make fun of another person's traditions and they'd have to work together!"

Mala felt more at peace with this and they snuggled close. "This shall be a long week without seeing you, my love." she told him. "The thoughts of you will keep my spirit strong through the hardships of the days. Our upcoming meeting will be like the beautiful skies, filled with the sounds of bird calls, that follows a violent storm." Dagur said. Mala sighed, dreamily and her lips met his in a romantic and loving kiss.

The next day came and while Dagur had made breakfast for Mala, he was still in the eating area. He changed his expression to a happy one after seeing Mala. They hugged and kissed, "Morning, Malapoo. Sleep well?" "Far from." she admitted, "And you, love?" "Same." he stated, almost stiffly. Mala prepared a beverage for them and they enjoyed their meal.

The couple exited the hut and walked the longest walk they ever had. They reached the borderline and hugged one more time. "My heart shall flutter like a butterfly when we meet again, beloved." Mala promised. "Let us pray that our impending plan works so that this separation will not be as unending as my love for you." Dagur stated. They began to walk away and their connected hands, slowly, came apart.


	5. Separated

Dagur and Mala went into their respective kingdoms and through the villages. Everything seemed so peaceful without new vikings "intruding" onto an island that did not belong to them. It saddened their hearts and they set to work on their plan. Mala sat down at her table and wrote down ideas. "_They could have different meals that they could make and share with each other. Perhaps, an ax throwing game as well." _she thought, hopefully. Dagur was drawing up concepts for the event, "_Some obstacle courses would be cool. There could be some swim teams too-that should do well to boost teamwork capabilities."_

As Mala continued with her writing, Throk knocked on the door. She rose and went to answer. "My Queen, your presence has been requested to see the Defender training." he looked at the papers on the table, "May I inquire?" Mala turned to see what he was looking at, "Of course. Dagur and I have decided that a festivity to unite our kingdoms might be best. It should be most splendid, Throk." The Defender smiled, brightly, "I believe that it shall. It is a brilliant idea." The two left the hut and went to see the people.

A group of Defenders were doing combat training. Upon seeing their queen, they stopped and saluted then recommenced as Mala watched. "See how much better we are when we're left to our own?" a Defender came from behind and asked. The queen resisted a scowl, "The initial solitude will come with its own benefits, but I assure you that in the long run we will be best with the Berserkers." The Defender looked at her and left.

Heather had been out training with Windshear and came in for the night. Her brother was still jotting down as many things he could think of that seemed helpful. "What are you working on?" she asked. Still writing, he answered, "Mala and I decided to do some kind of event at the end of this week to help our people to get along. There'll be games and food and all that." She smiled, "That sounds nice." Heather looked over his shoulder saw how much he had done, "Have you gotten up at all today?" He nodded, "Real fast to make sure everyone was okay. I **have** to get this ready, though. When the week's over, Mala and I will combine our ideas and set it up."

Heather yawned, "It's getting late. I'm about to head to bed. You should do the same." Dagur frowned, slightly, "Good night, but I won't be asleep any time soon." "Do you normally stay up late?" his sister asked. "I haven't lately because I don't want to wake Mala up by accident, but since that's not an issue this week..." he dragged. "Right." Heather said, sheepishly, "Well, try to get **some** rest." She left for her room and Dagur kept working.

Mala looked at the dark sky and sighed. She felt a loneliness that she never had before. "_Odd how one can feel this way when someone is missing despite living so long without their presence._" she mused, sadly. The woman went to her room and lied on the bed. It was cold and the very hut itself felt empty. Like a spirit that warmed it, had gone elsewhere. "_One week."_ she thought and forced herself to try to sleep. After restless hours, she managed to retire.

It was well into the night when Dagur knew that he should try to rest. He had accomplished a lot and could stand to take a few hours' break. The viking dreaded the idea of sleep and, slowly, went to the washroom. Next, he ventured into his room and got on the bed. He longed for the warmth of his friend's body, but it was not there. The viking tried, almost futilely, to sleep. Only an hour after Dagur got into the bed, he awoke with a gasp. The Berserker looked around the room in a panic, "_Where am I? My ship, the hunters' ship, an uninhabited island, O-Outcast Island?"_ he paled. With a hard swallow, he took a deep breath as his vision and mind cleared. "_I'm in my hut."_ he thought, calming down. Begrudgingly, he got up from his bed, put his armor on, and went out the door.

The sun that shone into her room, awoke Mala. She got ready for the day and went into her dining area. With a sigh, she remembered that her friend was not there as she prepared breakfast and ate alone. The queen/chieftess went to check on things with her kingdom and noticed something. It felt cooler. She bit her lip and continued walking. Her hand felt naked without Dagur's interwined, so she connected her hands and kept them behind her back.

After training with Sleuther, Dagur wanted to go back to his hut. "_I should go make some bre-I guess, I shouldn't."_ he thought, dejectedly. Trying to brighten up, he decided to go do some mild exercises with Shattermaster. "Come on, boy, you can do it." The Gronckle flew up a little bit at a time and did a circle over his buddy. "There you are, Shattermaster!" Dagur laughed. The dragon landed next to him and, happily, snuggled. The Berserker patted his head and went around the island. Annoyed, he realized that the vikings were enjoying themselves and doing barely anything. "_For people called 'Berserkers' they sure are boring."_ he, mentally, complained.

The week went by, slowly, and the couple burned the candle at both ends with their work on the event. Despite their excitement, they were nervous about something that had, gradually, occurred during the week. The separation had ended and Berserkers and Defenders came to the border, looking at one another. For the first time ever, both groups had the same thoughts in their heads.

"It is cooler now than it was before. Those Berserkers are bad luck." a Defender said. A Berserker called out, "It's a sign that we shouldn't be around each other. I say, we call that sea dragon back and have it move our islands as far apart as possible." The leading pair, Heather, and Throk looked, anxiously, at their circumstances. No matter how much they wanted to argue the point, the lava **had** stopped coming during the week.


	6. Preps and Frets

Before another wave of complaints could start, Dagur spoke, "Remember, everyone, that we originally thought the solution to the lava issue was patience, anyway. We don't know if the separation caused it or if the dragon just needed a resting time." Hearing this, the people calmed themselves. "Well, we still would prefer to be apart." a Defender added. "And why is that really?" Mala pressed, "Is it because you do not know how to work and live with the Berserkers? In fact, most of you do not know much about the opposite side at all." The group eyed each other and, reluctantly, nodded in agreement. "That is why Dagur and I have decided to hold a festivity for all. In this, we shall learn more about one another and find a common ground."

A murmur went through the crowd as they whispered their thoughts on the matter. "Will there be games?" a Berserker spoke out. "Yes." Dagur informed him, "Games and challenges. Think of it as an innovative training session." "When will this start?" he was asked. Dagur looked at Mala, "It should be able to commence in two days. Please, try to stay peaceful in the meantime." she requested.

Dagur and Mala went to their hut and closed the door. As soon as they knew they were in private, they went into each other's arms and kissed. "Those," Mala said, in between kissing, "were very long seven days." Dagur made a sound of agreement as he kissed her cheek. "You know," he whispered, "we really need to get everything set up so we won't be separated again." It was Mala's turn to agree and their arms unwrapped from one another. "Where should we start?" Dagur asked. Mala walked over to their table and rolled out a scroll that she had been writing on. "With a brainstorm. Did you bring what you've done?" she inquired. The Berserker pulled out a scroll of his own in response and smiled his usual, unsettling smile.

They set both papers next to each other and looked at the other's work. "Ax throwing." Dagur commented, impressed, "Sounds fun." "We Defenders **do** love a good swimming match. You remember what I say, in passing, very well." Mala commended. "Of course. That's because **you** say it." Dagur gave her a winning smile and she wanted to go back in his arms. "_No,"_ she thought, "_Work **must** come before pleasure otherwise it will be far harder to be together."_ She returned the smile and looked at the notes. Dagur forced himself to tear his eyes away from her and regarded the papers as well.

Dagur had brought an extra thing of paper and put it in the middle. "We could put it on the border between us. The water's really close and there's a good patch of trees to use for ax throwing targets." he said. Mala looked at the notes, "Stands for food can be placed right on the sides." She pointed to the sketch her husband had drawn of the islands. He added those in and drew up the festival. They put more games on the paper and went to go find Heather and Throk.

"Sis, mind helping us out with some preparations?" Dagur asked Heather. "Not at all. Preps for the festival, I'm guessing?" she confirmed. Her brother nodded and, eagerly, took her hand, rushing to go off and grab what they needed. Mala got Throk and the four vikings met up at the islands' border. Heather set up stands for the food to be placed on, Throk put benches up in their designated spots, and Mala and Dagur arranged holders for axes and obstacles for the course. It did not take them too long to set it all up, but decorations would be needed next. They stepped back and admired their work. "It looks very nice, my lieges." Throk mentioned. Heather smiled in agreement and she could see the wheels working in her brother and sister-in-law's heads.

"What are you two thinking about?" she inquired. They stayed silent for a moment, "If we finish the touch ups tomorrow, everything should be fine for the following day." Mala figured. She glanced at Dagur and he was looking at it all with an unreadable expression. He saw her gaze and grinned, "All right. Let's see how much we can get done around the village before everyone falls asleep." he recommended. They headed out and heard no complaints. The vikings were in their huts, seemingly, avoiding each other. "Well, at least they're not fighting." Heather offered.

There was little to do for vikings due to them closing themselves in their homes. "Since there's nothing to do, would anyone mind if I trained with Windshear?" Heather asked. They shook their heads, "No. Thank you very much, Heather, for all that you have done." Mala told her, gratefully. The young lady went off to train and Throk stepped forward, "May I be excused as well? There are some new combat techniques that I want to practice." Dagur, playfully, shooed him away, "Have your fun, Throky. We can handle anything that pops up." The Defender beamed and hurried to the training grounds.

Dagur and Mala locked hands, walking through the village. "It shall be marvelous, my love." she stated. The Berserker kissed the back of her hand, romantically, "Beloved, it certainly shall." They went to their hut and readied themselves for bed. Butterflies played in their stomachs as they thought of how much they had missed lying next to each other. Dramatically, they climbed into bed, both laughing at how the other looked. "Oh, I have longed for your odd ways, Dagur." Mala giggled. "Don't think that you're too normal either, Malapoo. You **did **marry me, after all." Dagur chuckled.

Mala ran her hand through Dagur's red hair. Defenders always had crisp and straight styles, so she was entranced by his almost wild and, surprisingly, thicker mane. She took in his scent. He smelled nice, unlike many other vikings. Mala was fortunate that she had fallen in love with a viking that was hygienic. Dagur looked at her pale green eyes and kind expression. She could be so fierce and so gentle. He loved the constrast she had. The male viking rubbed her cheek. It was so soft and the very feel of it made Dagur sigh, dreamily. "I love you." they said, in tandem. Time passed and Mala fell asleep in Dagur's arms. She felt comforted by the strength in them and relaxed. Dagur could not sleep, as usual, and instead, just laid his face on hers, loving the touch. "_Please, Odin._" he thought, "_Let this plan work."_


	7. Festival

Mala awoke to the fresh scent of burly cakes the next morning. She sighed, happily, and readed herself for the day's activities. Following the inviting aroma, the queen found her husband setting up their table with a smile. He saw her and gave her a kiss.

"I missed doing this." Dagur told her. Jokingly, she inquired, "Which part?" His smile broadened, "Both." Muscular arms brought her close as they embraced.

The meal was delicious and the two met up with Heather and Throk at the festival's location. "Morning, Sis. Morning, Throks." Dagur greeted. They returned the salutation, "How should it all look?" Heather asked. Throk's mind was working overtime, "Should there be paintings for decorations? I suppose, that might be too gaudy."

The king and queen thought over that suggestion, "Actually, you're not far off. Maybe not murals, or anything, but we could do small drawings for color. That would liven up the area, nicely." Dagur stated.

"I have some, lovely, leathers that would suit the occassion." Mala offered. The four set to work on their project. Most of the ornaments were simple, but Dagur drew exquisite designs on the wood that consisted of a multitude of colors.

The chief concluded his work and stepped back to inspect it. "Very nice." Mala commended him, with her hand on his shoulder. She nuzzled her head next to his, "All is ready for tomorrow. We need now only to wait."

That night, nerves went through the four vikings like lightning during a thunderstorm. Heather could, barely, sleep and got up to stroke Windshear for comfort. Throk had to write some, futile, poems for Ruffnut to lull himself into slumber. Mala felt as though she had to be regal. She was queen and chieftess. To her, that meant that there was no room for fear or trepidation of any kind. Dagur, likewise, was accustomed to concealing how he felt-despite what others believed. He wanted to be strong for Mala and their tribes, so he, mentally, said as many soothing chants as he could imagine.

The next morning's sun shone, brightly, and left the vikings teeming with confidence. Berserkers and Defenders had arrived to the festival, however with an air of skepticism.

"Welcome to our event of unity." Mala announced, "The team activities are by the coast, games are in the center, and the foods are on the sides. Please, enjoy yourselves."

A few people went over to the game stands and began playing. Some tried a couple burly cakes and others began making teams. Two of the Defenders and Berserkers each approached the royal pair with instruments in their hands.

"We're really good musicians." one Berserker offered for the group. "And we are not in agreement with all this fighting that has occurred." a Defender added. The second Berserker nodded, "In the spirit of this event, we'd be glad to play some songs." Dagur and Mala smiled at the suggestion, "That'll be great! Thanks for the offer." the king stated.

The four vikings watched as everyone enjoyed themselves. "This is really nice." Heather commented, "I think, I'll join in on the outmaneuver the Terrible Terror game." She heard gleeful shrieks and laughed, "It sounds like they could use some help." The viking went over to the playing vikings and participated.

Throk was, intently, observing the swim teams. While he thought that it would be fun, it did not seem proper for him to do such things. Dagur nudged Mala and motioned to the warrior with his head, "Throk," Mala began, "please enjoy **yourself** as well." With a hesitant, but grateful smile, Throk headed towards the water.

Mala rested her head on her husband's shoulder and he let his do the same on hers. They stayed this way for a few moments, both taking in how at peace everyone was. Even though Dagur was often bored by a lack of action, he did not want tension. Mala shifted her head and lifted it up off of him, "I am willing to believe that I would be able to hit more accurate ax shots than you can, dear." Mala said, teasingly. A devilish grin graced the chief's features, "My beloved, how soon you forget that I **never** miss."

With a challenging expression, Mala rushed off to the targets. Dagur let out his signature laugh and chased after her. The chieftess lifted an ax and stepped as far away as she could, without being in another viking's way. She smiled, throwing the weapon directly into the center of the tree's trunk. Mala gave a pose of feigned shock, "Oh, I never would have imagined doing that." she said, sarcastically, breaking into giggles.

Scoffing, Dagur took an ax, went to where Mala started and gave the tree a hard look. Then, giving her a flirtatious wink, he turned so that his back faced the target. "Same spot as you." he foretold and threw the blade, being quite accurate in his previous statement. He turned and gave a, dramatic, bow, "You're too kind!" the viking stated, pretending that applause had occurred.

Mala, lightly, dismissed him by flicking her wrist, then went up to him and put her arms around his neck, feeling as he hands went to her hips. "**You** are too amusing" she told, grinning. A comfortable sensation came to her cheeks as Dagur kissed them. They did an eskimo and shared a long kiss on the lips. Suddenly, they stopped when they heard the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Hate to interrupt, but a mead drinking challenge is about to begin and they wanted their leaders to be the judges." Heather informed them, with an ornery smirk. The couple released each other, with a slight hint of pink going over their faces. "Y-yeah, we can do that." Dagur stuttered.

The three went to the food stands and saw a nice sized group of people with mugs in their hands. They nodded at the rulers, "A little Terrible Terror told us that you all wanted to do a drink challenge." Mala told. "Aye, chieftess. We figured it could be a fun way to start getting along." a Berserker told her.

Dagur eyed the cups, "It's the May Day mead, right?" A Defender looked at her mug, "That is correct." The chief looked at the competitors, suspiciously. They tried not to shrink under his hard stare and Mala put a hand on his shoulder, "Everything should be fine, love." His gaze softened, looking at her, "Hope so." he said, quietly.

"Let the challenge begin." Mala announced. The vikings gulped down their mead, each one going faster than the one next to them. Empty mugs piled up on the side of the table that was adjacent to the contestants. They began to slow down and looked woozy. "This is really good." one Berserker said, with his speech slurred. "Uh oh." Dagur intoned. "What is going on?" Mala asked him. He whispered in her ear, "Berserkers can be a mild bunch sometimes, but if you **really** want to see them live up to that name, get them drunk. That's why I wanted them to have the non-alcoholic mead. The one that this, clearly, isn't!" his voice rose.

Dagur, carefully, took the remaining mugs from the vikings and stopped. "How are Defenders with things like this?" he asked, in a whisper. "It, rarely, occurs, so I am unsure." Mala answered. Just to be on the safe side, she helped him remove all the mugs. He selected an untouched mug and tasted some, "Braggot. Great!" the viking stated, sarcastically, "Who switched the meads?" he questioned. A drunken Defender, lethargically, pointed at a Berserker and Defender. "Great stuff!" he belched.

The two stepped forward, "No harm in drinking a bit." the Berserker stated, calmly. Before either leader could speak, a Defender did, "I d-do not think...I don't think that I like your island." he said to a Berserker, "Too...icy in the middle." The Berserker retorted, "Yours is too melty. We don't..**need** dragons, just have 'em." More participants joined in, "You guys talk funny. All fancy like." "Well some of...you say 'ya' instead of you. Except for some of you. Like the fighty ones. No accents." the Defender giggled at how strange it seemed to her.

"One of ya told me th-that your guys just wallop your gals over the head. Then...you're together. No fair." a Berserker stated. A Defender glared, "Better than having used a poor dragon as a slave for however many years. Those poor Skrills." More lines like these came and soon, the entire group was enraged. Momentary silence came when a Berserker and Defender punched each other's lights out.

The quiet ended and an all out brawl began. "Everyone! Calm yourselves." Mala ordered. They did not listen and Dagur went in to stop the battle. He caught two vikings, one from each side, and held them in the air. "Now, calm down!" he yelled. The two vikings looks like cats trying to attack someone **just** out of reach. He gave them a shake to make them quit the poor behavior. "We are not toys for babies." the Defender complained. "No, you **are **the babies. Start acting like responsible vikings." Dagur stated.

They pouted, turning their glares to him, "We never asked for this, chief. Any of it. **You** like Mala. Why do we have to suffer for your bad taste in women?" Rage flashed through Dagur's eyes, "Watch it." he warned. "I'm sorry, but we shouldn't have to associate with them just because you want to." Dagur sighed and placed them down, "We're one group, guys. Today was going so well! We just need to hold on to that and not focus on negativity. It'll only bring it to us."

Heat was felt as lava rolled down into the trench that had been deepened. It stopped, but had still happened. "See?" a Defender asked, "There was no lava until today. Until we were around each other again. Please, my queen, do as you wish, but let us be separate."


	8. All For What?

The king and queen looked at the group of Berserkers and Defenders in dismay. "Something other than us just spending time together caused this. Why else would the entire day go by without one heat wave?" Dagur noticed. Mala nodded, "Surely, there is some unknown explanation for the lava."

The people could not have cared less, "Unknown is not comforting. What we **do **know is that when we did not associate, no lava occurred. We wish to return to those days, indefinitely." a Defender stated, confidently. "Nothing will be decided tonight." Mala told her, "Dagur and I shall speak on the matter this evening and make our verdict in the morning."

The two went back to their hut, hand in hand. After closing the door, Dagur slumped against the wood, sighing, heavily, "We were so close!" he shook his fist, "So close to having everyone learn to get along. All that success for a couple of drunk vikings to ruin." spite filled his voice. Mala had worry written on her face, "We should not force them to be around one another, if they are so determined to be at odds. That will only cause more confrontations."

The Berserker looked at her, "I know, but to let them pretend that we aren't connected now sounds like trouble too." He pulled at the sides of his hair and stopped, seeing Mala observing him, "This can't be permanent." The queen rested her forearms on their table, "Certainly not, but for now, perhaps, ws **should **allow it." Dagur rubbed his face, "I feel like this'll only cause more problems in the long run." he paused, "But, we can't have riots and angry mobs everyday. Maybe you're right and-for now, at least-we should let them be apart."

Dawn came and the two viking went to the center of the islands, directly on the border. "We have decided that whether you associate or not, for the time being, is up to you." Dagur announced. A cheer filled the crowd and it saddened the couple's hearts. Then, the people dispersed faster than a flock of Night Terrors creating a new formation.

Throk went to the Defender's part of the island to help the youths train. "And three more times." he instructed. The vikings executed the moves and beamed at the respected guard's praise. "Well done. You have improved very much." One stepped forward, "We have to thank our not having to deal with the Berserkers for our success." The eldest viking's brow furrowed, "**Practice** is the cause of this being done, properly." Another trainee came up, "With all due respect, Sir, you are amongst kindred company. There is no reason to pretend that you like these dangerous vikings."

Throk's visage remained stern, "I do not **pretend** to do anything. I am fine with the Berserkers being here and, greatly, respect our king. You should learn to do the same." The younger vikings glowered at the statement, "How could you respect an animal like Dagur? The stories we have heard are worst than the most horrific tales one could be told." Throk gestured for them to leave the training area, "I respect those who are willing and capable of changing for the better." The Defenders glared at him and he stayed firm in his stance, "Class is dismissed."

Heather was training Windshear at the stables and saw some Berserkers coming up to her. "Isn't it great that those, stuffy Defenders don't have to be around us?" The Berserker second-in-command dismounted her Razorwhip, "Not really. We have too many enemies out in the world to fight that it would be nice to just have peace at home." They seemed appalled by what she said, "You can't like having that Mala-conceited as she is-bossing you around." Heather frowned at them, "Mala doesn't boss me around and I **do **like her. She's always been cool with me and just adores my brother. Why are you so against her?" They put their hands on their hips, "She's so determined to do her customs. Like that stupid Eruptodon. Wouldn't catch me, purposefully, staying on an island with an eruptive volcano."

Heather started to leave the arena, "You guys are fine with Dagur being your chief, right?" They nodded. "Then, why are you going against what he wants like this? Everywhere we look, there's someone starting or finishing a fight. If you were really loyal Berserkers, you'd be willing to make the adjustments needed for your chief **and **chieftess." She left the stadium, with the group scowling after her.

Heather and Throk both found themselves at the borser at the same time. They chuckled, "Didn't want to let them win, huh?" Heather inquired. "Not at all. I don't understand why they must behave this way." Throk told. The two went past one another and, immediately, received cold glares. With heads held high, they continued on, going with no reason other than rebellion. As much as the two groups of vikings wanted to say something, both sets feared what the leaders would do.

The rulers spent the day going around both islands. By the evening, they returned home, "Did you see Heather and Throk?" Mala inquired, smiling, slightly. "Sure did. Gotta love those two." Dagur grinned, then went grave, "I saw the looks they got from everyone too." He slouched in his chair and Mala went over to him and sat down. "It is late. We should try to get some rest, so that we can think, clearly." She went to get ready for bed and Dagur pondered over what to do for everyone.

When he saw Mala again, she was in her night clothes and he traded spots with her in the washroom. Afterwards, he climbed into bed with her and they snuggled, closely. Restlessness came, but Mala did, eventually, fall asleep. Her head rested on Dagur's chest, finding comfort in his warmth. The Berserker laid his head on hers, gently, and tried to follow her example of getting rest.

Cruel cackling. Whose was it? Maybe Alvin. It sounded like him whenever he relished in the pain he caused. Rough hands, grabbing at his neck and choking him. To whom did **they** belong? Ryker? They could not be moved and only continued to squeeze the life out of him. Cold water that almost drowned him flushed in. It chilled him to the bone, but he could not give in. He had to be there to protect his family. This family was there and he could see them. Joy filled him, until he saw the unified look on their faces. Disappointment, hate, and everything in between. Dagur awoke with a start. He thanked Odin that he did not awaken Mala and, quietly got ready to go outside. He walked along the island, towards the Berserker part, feeling jumpy. Every dragon snore sounded like a part of his horrific terrors. Trying to feel better, he went to train.

After breakfast, Mala and Dagur decided to do work more efficiently by splitting up. "Stay safe." Dagur stated, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "You too." she told, stroking his face while walking away. The queen went around, looking for anything or anyone that might need assistance. A Berserker rushed up to her, "Chieftess! Heather got into a bad fight with some other vikings, near the docks, over this whole separation thing. She-" the viking did not even need to finish before the chieftess rushed to help her sister and friend.

Dagur looked for something that seemed off. Everything **felt **off to him, but he could not figure out why. He still felt jumpy from the previous night, but tried not to let it show. A Defender ran up to him, "My King, there was a fight, by the hall, about this new situation and Throk was, badly, woun-" The chief ran to go help his friend.

When Mala and Dagur arrived at their, respective, places to help the vikings, they saw no sign of them. They wondered where the mentioned vikings were, but felt as realization set in. Berserkers surrounded Mala and Defenders surrounded Dagur, both people had weapons drawn. Closer, they came in with a certain look in their eyes. The, dim, gleam of ruthlessness.


	9. Coup

Five Berserkers had their axes drawn and began to close in on Mala. One charged and slashed at her, missing as she, gracefully, maneuvered out of the way. Two came at the same time and the queen slid in between them, going beneath where their blades were aimed.

"Stand down now." she ordered, getting into a defensive stance. They growled in reply, "Not a chance, Mala. You've tricked our chief into doing whatever you say and that's going to end today. It's too late for him, but we won't have a, pompous, emotionless fool as our chieftess."

Despite appearing unaffected, their words hurt Mala. She always had felt like she should behave, professionally instead of acting on impulse or feeling. Since she had been with Dagur, he had made her feel like she could loosen up and not just be the Defender's queen, but Mala too. Often, she had been considered cold for her straightforward ways, but kept her head held high with an air of indignance.

The viking caught the arm of a Berserker and disarmed him, taking the ax for herself. The attacker backed away, not wanting to fight without having a clear advantage. The other four looked for help around the village and some more Berserkers joined them, while a good amount stayed away from the tussle. Ten vikings were before Mala, ready to do whatever they found necessary to stop her.

Mala blocked slashes and moved back to avoid others. The people were, closely, nit together and did not allow for much agility in the ways of moving around them. Back, was the only way to go, but the queen held her ground as well as she could. Soon, a large building was behind the group. The Berserkers tried to push her against the wall and another ax intercepted theirs.

The double-sided weapon shoved a normal ax to the side. "You've all lost your minds!" Heather hissed at the group. "Get out of the way, Heather!" one yelled at her. The viking stood firm, "As your second-in-command, I **order **you to stop this and surrender, immediately." The Berserkers made neither an effort to attack nor to halt and Heather raised her weapon, threateningly, "Don't make me have to restrain you." she admonished.

The Berserkers lowered their weapons and let the viking apprehend them. Heather tied their wrists behind their backs and began to take them before the council. "Thank you, Heather for helping me." Mala told her. The Berserker smiled, "Don't mention it. You're family, Mala. No matter what they try to get you to think." she motioned to the guilty Berserkers with her head. "I can't believe that they really tried to hurt you, though." Heather stated, stunned. "Yes, they tricked me by saying that **you **were in danger, actually." the chieftess told.

Mala frowned and her sister noticed, "What's wrong?" "Something that they said while complaining about me being with Dagur. They said that it was too late for him. I wonder what-" Mala paused and turned ashen, "He's in danger too!" The leader ran off and the Berserker followed her with the prisoners in tow.

Dagur eyed the Defenders that were stalking towards him. "I don't want to hurt anyone. Put down your weapons and we'll try to move past this." he tried to compromise. "Liar!" a Defender bellowed, "How can you say that you do not want to hurt anyone when you killed your own sister's family?" The chief felt as though he had been stabbed with one of his own blades, "I don't want to hurt anyone **anymore**." he prefaced.

They scoffed at him, "More lies. Whether you think that you will hurt someone or not, you **are **crazy. That makes you a danger to any viking unfortunate enough to be around you. You shouldn't be part of our island's royalty. You're a disgrace." That word. Those words. Everytime Dagur was called a disgrace or crazy, he felt enraged and hurt. He kept a scowl from his face, attempting to appear as sane as possible.

Quickly ducking, Dagur dodged a dart that whizzed past his head. A viking charged up to him, sword drawn. Dagur side-stepped and fought, hard, not to punch the Defender's lights out. "_This is going to be interesting._" the king thought. The vikings planned their attack, firing darts and slashing at the Berserker. Expertly, Dagur moved around the attacks. He stayed on the defensive only, instead of his preferred offensive.

More Defenders came to the brawl and Dagur veered throughout the vikings, neither being touched nor making contact with anyone. "No fighting? I thought that Dagur the Deranged was a warrior and not a coward." one Defender called him out. The Berserker wanted to take every one of them out, but he knew himself and that he could not hit anyone. If he did, that sensation might take over and only Odin would know how many things would go wrong after that.

The Defenders were infuriated at Dagur for not giving them a good reason to attack and thought of something to say, "Our queen deserved someone worthy of her, but instead, her intellect was drained and she fell for you. You both are the same to me now. Unworthy of **everything**." Hearing this being said about Mala, Dagur felt more rage boil inside of him. There was already so much that he felt like he might boil over. He, physically, shook as he tried to stay calm. "_Ommm."_ the viking thought, "_Do not allow yourself to be tempted by such vile pleasures."_

His attempts at meditation felt futile and the group of vikings nearing him seemed to suffocate the Berserker. All he needed was to hurt **one** of them. That would be it and he would feel fine. Hopefully. Dagur's eye and hands twitched, yearning for a kill. The Defenders came closer and a figure stood between them and the Berserker.

"Move, Throk." a viking ordered. Throk was steadfast, "I will not let you hurt our king." The eyes went wide on the Defenders, "You can call him your king?" one asked, appalled. The guard nodded, "And my friend. Now," he began, "you might not listen to Dagur, but I am your high commander and you will obey my order." The Defenders glowered at him and Throk continued, "My order is to stand down, willingly, or through force. The choice is yours."

Reluctantly, the Defenders sheathed their swords and allowed themselves to be restrained. Throk turned to look at Dagur and saw a face full of gratitude. "Thanks, Throk." he grinned. The Defender smiled back, "Think nothing of it, my king." Dagur's visage went cold and Throk's brow furrowed, "Is something else the matter?" The Berserker nodded, "They don't only hate me, but Mala too." his eyes widened, "She could be in trouble!" He ran off to find the queen and Throk went behind him with the soon-to-be convicts.

The two leaders met at the border of the islands and Mala leapt into her husband's arms, being spun around and kissed. Dagur put her back down and scanned every inch of her body with his eyes. She did the same for him. "Are you okay?" he asked, "Any injuries?" Gently, Dagur began to touch her, making sure nothing was broken or hurt. As he continued his search, Heather and Throk caught up with them. Mala saw them and blushed, brightly. She, quickly, removed her spouse's hands from her person, "I am fine, love. Are you?" Mala had worry in her eyes and Dagur smiled, "I'm okay. You know that I'm too slippery to get hit by anyone other than you."

Behind Heather and Throk were the scheming vikings and the couple separated to go over to them. Dagur was too furious for words and settled for an intimidating roar. The Berserkers tried to appear tough, but cowered at his rage. Similarly, the Defenders could not look Mala in the eye after what they had done. "This is beyond a, simple, preference. You conspired to get both of us killed." the queen stated, furiously. She looked at the groups, "Rotting in prison sounds like a suiting punishment for you." The groups scowled and Dagur, finally, found his words. With a death glare, he spoke, "Be grateful that Mala wasn't hurt. Getting thrown into a pit filled with Fireworms would have felt like Valhalla compared to what I would have done to you."

The vikings were brought to prison and the non-guilty vikings observed, disgustingly. "While we, whole-heartedly, disagree with what they did, is Dagur worth the lives of these Defenders? They were good warriors that are now imprisoned." a Defender questioned. A Berserker added in too, "Dagur? What about Mala? We just lost some of our best soldiers because of her." The Berserker chief exploded, "You lost them because of their stupid desicions!" he bellowed. "If I hear **anyone** saying that those thugs were more valuable than Mala's life again.." The deranged twinkle in his eyes gave all the information necessary.

The area uncluttered with people and the couple looked at one another, miserably. It was one thing for the group opposite of them to think, poorly, of them, but now their **own** vikings were beginning to turn on the leaders because of their choices. Things were going to be even more tense than they thought possible.


	10. New or Old Problems?

Darts shot into Dagur's neck, causing him to become lethargic. He struggled to dodge the attacks from the Defenders and Mala saw this. She ran to help, but the distance seemed to get further with each step she took. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears as her subjects enclosed the circle they had formed around her husband. Just as she reached the scene, a Defender plunged a sword into Dagur's neck. "No!" Mala cried out as the Berserker slumped to the dirt. She caught his limp body in her arms, before he could hit the ground, and she held him. Rocking back and forth, tears formed in her eyes and she could not keep them back any longer.

The viking shot straight up in bed, tears staining her cheeks. Her face was flushed and her breathing, heavy. Looking around her, she panicked when she did not see Dagur next to her. It was very late-or early, depending on your viewpoint-and she had expected to see him sleeping. Mala got out of bed and went to their dining area. There was neither any sign of him there nor in the rest of the hut.

Mala ran to the door, ready to look for the chief, when it opened and she was caught in someone's arms. Dagur pulled back to look at her and saw her concern, "What's wrong?" he asked, growing worried too. Her face turned upset and she punched his arm, "What's **wrong**? It is the middle of the night and you were out there doing Thor knows what. Where were you?" Dagur rubbed the spot on his arm, "I was out training." She looked at him, confused, "At this hour?" The Berserker nodded, "Why are **you** up?"

Mala looked at him, taking in his being alive, and sighed, "I had a nightmare that you had been killed yesterday. Any chance of sleep left, after that." The Defender's gaze diverted from the Berserker's, "It seems foolish to have gotten so worked up over nothing more than a bad dream." she said, sheepishly. Dagur held her shoulders, "You're not foolish for reacting that way." He was hesitant to divulge, but did, "That's why I'm awake too." Mala was surprised to hear this, "Yesterday caused yours as well?" Dagur paused, and then nodded.

"I suppose, that neither of us will be getting much rest tonight." Mala figured. Dagur laughed, "To put it, lightly." He observed how shaken Mala still looked and engulfed her in a hug. They stayed this way for a while and when Dagur felt her relax, he let go. He went over to their food compartment and pulled out some ingredients. Pouring a liquid into a pot, he lit a fire underneath for warmth. After he deemed it, sufficiently, hot, be poured it into a mug and mixed in the remaining ingredient.

Mala approached to see what he was doing and he smiled, brightly, and handed her the mug. "This'll help soothe your nerves. **And **keep you from getting sick too. Don't want to worry yourself into an illness." The queen looked at the ingredients, "Mead with citrus juice and honey?" He nodded, fervently, "It works wonders." Mala looked at him in, brief, askance, _"How can he be so certain? The event only occurred yesterday." _she thought. Sniffing the beverage, she began to drink. "This **is** rather good, Love." He beamed, "Told ya. That should calm you down."

As Mala drank the drink, Dagur grinned at her, amusedly. "And what, pray tell, has gotten you so entertained?" she asked, smiling. "Just the fact that you were about to run out there to look for me while still in your night clothes." he chuckled. The queen had forgotten about that on her way to the door and laughed, "It would appear that way." Her face turned serious, "For our usual rounds, let's go together this time." The Berserker took out one of his knives and began to carve a piece of wood, "I hadn't planned on going without you." he admitted, invoking a smile from the chieftess.

They spent the rest of the night talking about anything non-stressful. In the morning, the two went outside. "Where should we go first?" Mala asked, sighing. Dagur's brow furrowed, "To get Heather and Throk. They might be the next ones in danger now that they've helped us." The queen agreed and they split up only to retrieve the two, faster.

Mala went to through the Defender's side, seeing very few people so far due to the time. She arrived at Throk's hut and knocked on the door. The guard opened it, "My queen. How can I help?" "By coming to do the rounds with the three of us. Dagur and I thought it best that we stay larger in numbers for a while." the viking told him. Throk nodded and left with the ruler.

Dagur strode into Berserker Island, heading towards Heather's hut. Berserkers were not an early-rising bunch, commonly, so he did not see many of them. He rapped on the viking's door and received a muffled reply, "Hold on." Heather opened up the entranceway and smiled, but stopped after seeing his expression, "Hey, doing your normal visiting or is this more urgent?" He looked around them, "Luckily, not urgent, but we wanted to keep it that way. What I mean is this: We figured that if we stay together, no one can get jumped." he divulged, "Mala and I are only apart right now because she's fetching Throk. We'll be meeting up at the border."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Heather stated, exiting her hut and going with her brother. They decided to go to the Defender's side first. A group was complaining, loudly, and clammed up when they saw the four. Death glares were shot at all of them and the vikings seemed to growl, "I wonder what it would be like to have a queen and king. I suppose, that we shall never know." Throk drew his sword, "Show some respect." he hissed. Mala raised her hand, signalling for him to stop, "Playing their game will do no good." "_But, it sure would be fun." _Dagur thought, dementedly, and shook his head of the, newly, forming ideas. Mala eyed him with her peripheral vision, but said nothing.

The rest of the half was this way. Hardly any of the Defenders needed assistance and none of them wanted it. The quartet went to the Berserker side and received the same. It felt like an alternate universe where both groups had been turned vicious and hateful, leaving the four to their spite. As glares grew worse, Dagur held Mala's hand, letting her know that he was there.

"You'd think that after we've put up with all your derangedness, you would be loyal to us. You're not the easiest person to deal with." a Berserker complained and added, under his breath, "No wonder Oswald left." Mala felt Dagur's hand tense and she squeezed it, gently. He relaxed, slightly, due to her touch. The king let out a sigh and tried to ignore the words. Heather was less, easily, dissuaded and was filled with fire, "You all would really bring our father into this?" she questioned, enraged. The vikings were undeterred and puffed up, "Surprised that you aren't more upset about his absence Heather. After all, if you hadn't been sent adrift, he would have had someone he cared enough about to stay. Guess that we're not the only ones Dagur doesn't care about."

That set the viking off and he released Mala's hand, going over to the talkative Berserker. Picking him up off the ground, he snarled, "You want to be mad at me? You disagree with my choices? Fine. But, leave my family out of it. And in case you don't know who that consists of over here, that means my wife, sister, father, and Throk. Because, trust me," he began to laugh, "you don't want me to be defending them against you." His cackle lingered and turned more disturbed as he thought of what he would do.

The dangling Berserker's face showed nothing more than fear and Dagur threw him into his friends. The group scattered off from the four. Dagur looked at Heather and saw her face. She was hurt by what had been said and he despised that. He went to hug her, but she pulled back a bit. Dagur opened his mouth to say something and she raised her hand to stop him, "I'm okay." she lied. Her brother eyed her, sadly, however complied. He wanted to tell her what happened and why, but knew that she would be able to pay attention, properly, at the time. "_I'll tell her when she's ready."_ he thought.

The day was more stressful than it had been before and they noticed that it was scaulding outside. Going up to see the Great Protector, the four could not see anything. The dragon was too far into the volcano to be viewed, but, at least no lava was seen either. Night seemed to never come, though when it finally did, they were grateful. "Goodnight you two." Dagur told Heather and Throk. Throk returned the saying while Heather gave a small nod.

Mala and Dagur entered their hut and sat by each other. The chieftess had been bothered-by what the Berserkers had said-all day and, at last, inquired. "I know that, in your youth, you were a different viking, but how much in regards to family?" Dagur turned his head to look at her, "In that regard, I wasn't too different from how I am now. There was no mal-intent with what I did to Heather. **Regret**, but at the same time, I know why I did it and I'm still not sure if that wasn't for the best. I promise that I'll tell you the rest after she knows." Somewhat satisfied, Mala conceded and went to prepare for bed.

The two went into their bedroom and Dagur sat in a chair, waiting. An object caught his attention and he went over to see what it was. A note was on their bed with a drawing on its front. When Mala finished grabbing her things, she came over and saw his troubled expression, "What happened?" She walked to his side and saw the paper. On it, the goddess Hela had been drawn. Dagur sighed, "And we don't even know who did this. For all we've seen, it could've been **both** sides actually getting along well enough to give this to us." Mala sighed, "If they would channel that determination to work together..." she dragged.

Dagur wiped some sweat off of his forehead, "It's been a scorcher all day. That **can't **be good." he said. Mala straightened up some and listened, "Do you hear anything? It is quiet, but there." Dagur listened and nodded, "You're right. It sounds like a, subtle, slushing." They went to their window, looking out and their eyes widened. Quietly, lava made its way into the town, leaving a burning trail behind it.


	11. Ruins

Dagur and Mala ran out of the hut, "Everyone, out of your huts now! The lava's coming!" Dagur yelled out. The couple ran to the huts closest to the volcano first. Mala kicked down a door and pulled some kids out, "The lava is coming!" she called for the parents to hear. They did and the group retreated from the building.

Dagur went into a hut and, carefully, scooped up some elderly vikings. He brought them out of the home, "Keep going to the far side of Berserker Island and call out to the others." he instructed. They nodded, fearfully, and the two families rushed off, yelling warnings for others to learn. The couple's minds worked in overdrive, trying to think of **why** the lava came down so far and **how **they could prevent it from destroying everything.

The leaders caught sight of Throk and Heather, on the way to their huts. Both breathed sighs of relief at seeing the two alive. "How'd this happen so quickly?" Heather asked. Dagur grabbed her shoulders, pulling her out of the way of a volcanic blast, "I don't know." he admitted. Mala saw Throk looking around, frantically, for anyone to make sure that he was not the only survivor. "Throk!" she called. He looked over at her and joined the three. Mala unsheathed her sword to slice a large piece of debris that was coming towards the Berserker second-in-command and Dagur yanked Throk away from a stream of poisonous gas.

Flowing and more flowing, the scorching lava did. The people knew that no amount of water they had, other than trying to pour the very sea, itself, could have stopped its carnage. Barricades were attempted to block the magma from continuing, but only added to the list of fiery things coming for the vikings. In horror, they were made to witness as the volcano erupted and spewed clumps of molten basalt. These boulder-like objects destroyed huts and other buildings like they were as fragile as twigs.

Soon, the Defenders and Berserkers were forced back to the coast of Berserker Island. "Load onto the ships." Mala ordered. The vikings began to climb aboard into what was left of the damaged when a large roar interrupted them. The Bewilderbeast emerged from its home in the island and sent an enormous blast into the lava. The shot, gradually froze the lava over and the dragon began to move towards the volcano. Seeing the Eruptodon, it made the smaller dragon eat the lava that was coming. With its job finished, the Bewilderbeast returned to its cave, giving a parting glance to the frightened vikings.

With much trepidation, the vikings started to move inwards to the island, many of them shaking. Finding his voice, Herald started, "Why, in the name of Thor, did **that **happen? We can't even let our islands be connected for fear of the volcano trying to smite us all." Dagur and Mala had been holding hands, instinctively, and he released hers to pace. "We were, barely, around each other and it was worse than ever. Whatever's causing this, it's **not** us just existing near one another. There's some other reason. What's been consistent?" he wondered, aloud.

Mala thought hard and ventured to speculate, "The tension." she realized, quietly. Dagur turned to her, "What was that?" Mala raised her voice, "The consistency has been that hatred has filled these islands. It was worse today than before and **that **is why the Great Protector did not eat the lava." The vikings frowned, "So what? Just because we don't get along, the Eruptodon wants to kill us?" The queen shook her head, "He cannot function in a stressful environment." A Berserker threw her hands in the air, "Seriously! Your 'Great Protector' can't handle a bit of pressure?" A Defender shot back, "Would not have had to, if you all had not been so enfuriating."

An arguement commenced and Dagur's boiling point had far since reached its limit. **"Shut up!**" he bellowed. Everyone turned and he took a deep breath, "You just found out that fighting might have, very well, been the cause of the lava devastating our home and you're **still** arguing. We need each other now more than ever. In case you haven't noticed, the islands are in ruins. We have no homes, other buildings, or supplies anymore. Even the ships are in bad states. The only way for us to survive is to work together and fix up the islands as one."

Too afraid to even grumble, the vikings nodded their heads. "What do we do?" one asked. Dagur returned to Mala, "We start with building shelters. The formal homes will take longer and we'll need something in the meantime." He looked them over, "Line up." he told. They did as he had requested and the king and Mala walked over to them. No one had been injured by the lava nor the debris, thankfully. Viewing the most able-bodied to the least, they began to delegate tasks. The rulers put the vikings into combined, yet separate groups. Children large enough to help, but still small were put into their own category as were elderly vikings, and adults/young adults.

"You will go and collect any wood that hasn't been burned as well as non-hot metals." Dagur stated. The fit team left and Mala walked over to the elderly vikings, "Start creating ideas for us to use as we rebuild. No longer shall there be a borderline between us." she informed. They went off to start brainstorming and Dagur walked up to the children. They had been spooked by their near-death experience and he gave them a warm smile. "What do we do now, King?" a young Defender inquired. The leader bent down to their heights, "We have to use teamwork. Now," he put his hand to his chin, pensively, stroking his beard that was growing back in, "I know that we've sent the others out on tasks, but there's another important job." Their eyes lit up, "What is it?" Dagur eyed their curiousity and smiled wider, "To keep everyone's spirits up. Maybe some kind of play or something to entertain them when we've finished the shelters."

Dagur sighed, dramatically, "But, I don't know who else there is to do that." The children bounced, happily, "We can do that!" they offered. He looked at them, "That would be great!" Their expressions turned thoughtful, "What play should we do?" The chief shrugged, "Anything you'd like. Classic, contemporary style, or even something that you come up with. Just do your bests." he requested. They gave, excited, nods and rushed off to begin their project.

Mala went to Dagur's side and put her hand on his shoulder, "You were very good with them, just now." she complimented, impressed. Her husband chuckled, "Hey, if I understand anything, it's that sometimes you need to talk to people differently to get the best results. It's hard wanting to help, but being ignored." he grinned, brightly, "Weren't they the cutest? All teeny and stuff." The chieftess laughed at his oogling, "Yes, Dear. They **were **quite adorable. Makes me look forward to the future." she said, with a meaningful look. Dagur took her hand in his, "Let's not make the future too far from now, but get everything settled here first." She nodded, "Quite acceptable." the viking conceded.

The king and queen searched through the ruined huts to find anything salvageable. Barely anything was, but they succeeded in retrieving a few items. "Thank you, my lieges." a Defender said, accepting his belongings. "Yes, thank you." a Berserker stated, genuinely. At once, the people began to work on the shelters. It did not take too terribly long and before the dawn had come, they were done. The eldest vikings handed the queen their sketches, "We really **did **work together on this, Chieftess." a Berserker told Mala as Dagur helped the kids set up their little stage.

The play was an original one about the gods showing favor on those who had seemed ungrateful for what they had possessed before. "Insightful kids." Dagur whispered. Mala rested her head on his shoulder and he rested his on her head, gently. The Defenders and Berserkers were too tired and worn out to argue about anything. It was serene, the silence; however, the next day would determine the true mentalities of the vikings.


	12. Starting to Repair

Dagur looked over the island's blueprints for the trillionth time. All of the ideas were good and they had to pick a perfect combination. It would be necessary to wait for the others to awaken, so that everyone could be part of this decision. He had been awake for a long time, but it was still early enough that no one else was conscious. Using this time to plan, the Berserker thought about how they should rebuild the island.

"_We could probably use the same groups as last night_. _In a few hours or so, I'll wake them up and we'll get started_ _for real."_ he figured. Because it had been so dark outside, the retrieved wood and other items had not been placed in the most organized way. During his hours of being up and about, Dagur had rearranged them and went to collect more building materials. The chief traveled to the volcano and saw that the Great Protector was eating lava, steadily. "Will you stay this way, if we don't stress you out, big boy?" he inquired. The Eruptodon was paying no attention and only continued with his consumption.

Satisfied, Dagur climbed back down to the island and started work on repairing the storage buildings. All of the designs had been planned having those look the same way they always had, and in the same place. This way, he did not need to worry about someone's difference of opinion. The bins were, badly, damaged and would take up a nice chunk of time, so Dagur was glad that he had gotten an early start. He began fixing up the bottoms, to provide sturdy supports. After a bit, he was finished, although the tops were too high for him to reach without Sleuther.

Dagur went to the stables and greeted his dragons, "How are my favorite, little guys doing today?" The Gronckle and Triple Stryke cooed at his presence and rushed over to him, lovingly. Fortunately, the dragon pins had not been hit by any lava nor any debris, making it so that they did not need to be renovated. "Now, Strykie, Daddy's going to need your help fixing some storage bins. Think that you can hover in the same spot for a while?" The dragon waved its tail in front of Dagur and eyed him, expectantly. "All righty, then." the Berserker laughed, grabbing the tail and being brought to Sleuther's back. "We'll need you too in a bit, Shattermaster. Your lava will help us mold things together." Dagur called behind him as they flew off.

The dragon and rider got a full bin completed, but still had three left to do. In the shelters, Mala had awoken, slightly, and, sleepily, reached for her husband. Feeling no one there, her eyes opened and she remembered their usual custom. As the rest of the group was still in slumber, she smiled at the tranquility of the situation. Next, the queen went to get ready for the day and, when finished, saw the king and Triple Stryke hovering over a storage building.

"You have gotten very much completed this morning." Mala called out, surprised. A huge smile graced Dagur's face at the sight of her, "Thanks! Just trying to get as much done as we can. I figured, I'd let you sleep some more. It was a long day yesterday." The chieftess chuckled, "To put it lightly." Her expression turned serious, "Which is why you should not be out here doing all of this alone." Dagur kept fixing the bin, but hesitated, "Sleuther's here." Before Mala could protest, he spoke again, "No one should think it needs to be redecorated. We all agreed that they'd be here and look like this. All the stuff that we're trying to figure out, I left so that we could all decide together."

Mala rubbed the bridge of her nose, "That's not what I mean, Dagur. You should be resting as well. Your appearance is a fatigued one." Sighing, the Berserker had Sleuther land and he patted his head, "I'm fine. Appreciate your concern, but I'm good. Besides, now it's one less bin to do and when we start fixing everything up, it'll be easy to access the materials. If I'm already up, why **not** start working?" Mala crossed her arms, "Because you are **always** already up. At this rate, half of the island will be restored by you only. I do not want you overexerting yourself, Love."

Dagur came up and gave her a hug, snuggling close. "This does not change my mind." Mala said, firmly, hugging him back. Dagur made a sad face, making her chuckle and she stopped herself, "No, you cannot dissuade me. I am going to rouse the others and **we** shall begin the work." Striding off towards the shelters, the queen kept her head held high. "The day has begun." she told the vikings, "Ready yourselves and come out, so that we might rebuild the island." The people rose and scurried off to get prepared. Smugly, Mala returned to Dagur, "And that is how you get more helpers." she smiled. He scrunched up his face and stuck out his tongue, invoking another laugh out of the queen.

When everyone had finished, they met up in the center of town and sprawled the blueprints out on the ground, so that they all could view them. "Now, what are some of the most important parts of each idea to you?" Mala inquired to the group. Timidly, an elderly Berserker came forward, "I think that the library needs to be here. It has all the history of our people and has for even longer than I've been alive. Of course, we could expand it and incorporate history books for Defenders as well." the lady offered. There were murmurs of agreement and the two leaders smiled at each other. "What else?" Dagur pressed. A Defender came up, "Well, the area for the Trials is rarely used and was, badly, affected by last night. Perhaps, we could restore it and use it for a training ground for us all, in between using it for getting new kings and queens."

The vikings nodded and more sounds of content commenced. They continued with this and were near the end, the king drawing the plans down along the way. "Now, something I noticed is that there's no trading post on the Defender side." Dagur mentioned. The vikings looked at one another as though they had never thought of that before. "I suppose, we've always just gone elsewhere for new items." Throk admitted. Dagur rubbed his chin, "How about we put a post on the coast, directly in the middle. Even though we'll be unsegregated, there will still be vikings on both sides and it'll allow everyone a fair distance." Everyone was on board with that. "And that transitions us into the last question. Whose huts shall go where?" Mala questioned.

The vikings took some ink and wrote down, in small print, their initials where they wanted to stay. It was agreed that the eldest vikings would be closest to the center, so that they would not have to travel far for anything and still could be independent. Berserkers and Defenders picked places at random and knew that they could be neighbors, easily. The fear from the prior evening had calmed their egos and opened them up to the idea of trying to have peace. Nothing could have been worse than what they had already experienced.

An area for children was designed, so that the kids could train, play, and do all sorts of things without being in any real danger. The little vikings adored the thought and wanted to set to work on helping to fix those. Huts were a priority, though, and everyone worked hand in hand to make sure that they could have their own homes. Staying in a communal hut was not the preferable way to live. As they worked, a pillar seemed to be determined to fall and a Berserker had to catch it before it crushed a little Defender child. "The darn thing won't hold." the viking complained. The Defender's mother went over and looked at the, disagreeably, object, "Hmm, if we overlap them, it should work." She held the one in place while the Berserker moved the pillar and it stayed.

The vikings grinned and high fived. Mala and Dagur could not suppress their giggles at the work being accomplished so well. Shattermaster had come down to help with melding irons together and everything. The vikings were steadfast and actually were able to fix the huts, much to everyone's pleasure; however, it **did** take the entire day, but by night, they would have their privacy. The vikings retired late into the evening and the leaders enjoyed the thought of their new neighbors: Heather and Throk. Since there was no invisible barrier, they decided to move closer to the couple. The rulers changed locations as well. Now, their hut was in the center of the island, able to view the majority of vikings from their home.

The couple embraced, romantically, and kissed. "No fights. No lava. We're sitting pretty right now, Malapoo." Dagur said, in between kissing. "Quite." Mala agreed, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him closer to her, "If we can let things stay this way, we can learn to steady what comes and keep our people together." Dagur made an, "mhm" sound and kissed up and down her arm. Finally stopping, he grinned, "I think, we can do that. And I cannot **wait** for the day." he told, emphatically, with a meaningful look. Mala began to get ready for bed and caressed Dagur's chin, with her finger, as she walked away, "Neither can I, Beloved." In a trancelike state, the chief watched her stride into the other room, sighing, dreamily.

The next morning, Mala rose in her own bed, slightly, saddened to not see her husband next to her. "_I wish that he would not do this so frequently."_ she thought. Her disappointment turned into determination as she figured that the chief was working on repairing the island by himself. Quickly washing, she went to find him. Mala stopped in the village and stared, feeling ambivalence. The storage bins had been renovated, but that was all that he had done. Dagur was nowhere to be seen, so she went to the stables.

There, the chief was washing Sleuther and Shattermaster, all three looking quite content with themselves. Dagur sent a wave in Mala's direction and she went over to him. "Well," she began, unsure of how to feel, "you **did** repair the bins, but I suppose that Sleuther is the most effective way to do that." The Berserker gave a nod, full of smugness, and Mala whacked his arm, playfully. "I'm more than a little surprised that you did, indeed, listen to me about the rest. Thank you." she stated, sincerely. Dagur looked at her, "I know, you said that because you care, so I don't want to worry you. Changing is kind of my forte." he shrugged.

Mala observed him, "I do not want you to change, though, Dagur. Adjust, perhaps, but not change. Things are different now as opposed to how they were before. You no longer have to do things alone. You have a family that loves you very much and wants to do their part as well." She could see the genuine appreciation in his eyes and, for a moment, they looked watery, "I know, Darling." Speedily, he blinked and cleared his throat, giving her a smile, "Let's head down to get the rest of this island fixed up, huh?" With a watchful eye, Mala followed him out of the stables and down to the island.

The training areas and library were coming along, splendidly. Vikings were helping one another, regardless of which tribe they had been born into. Heather saw a little group of children tackle their parents as the adults started adding things to their new play spot. It was an adorable sight to witness. A foreign sensation of enviousness came over the Berserker and she shook her head to clear the thoughts. Dagur took wind of this and gave her a comforting look. Her face remained stonelike and she continued with the rebuilding.

Heather felt odd for the duration of the day and the chief could not help noticing that she was not herself. That evening, he caught her before she went to her hut, "Hey, Sis. Can we talk?" She paused, "Um, sure. What about?" Dagur took a deep breath and seemed to be fighting with himself on whether that was the right time to speak or not, "Our parents." he managed to say. Heather's eyes widened and she opened her door for them to speak inside.


	13. Building Additions

Heather motioned for her brother to sit down and he complied. "What do you mean, 'our parents'? What are you going to tell me about them?" Dagur leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs, "What they were like, why you weren't around them, and why Dad left. Figured that you should be made aware of these things and I should've told them to you a while ago. I'm sorry for not doing that." He had the second-in-command's full attention and began.

"Mom's name was Erica and she was the bravest viking that you could ever meet. She could see an entire hut ablaze and **still** charge in there if she thought someone was trapped inside. Totally lived up to the Berserker name. Smarter than a whip too." Dagur beamed. Heather looked pensive, "Was she..like you? D-did she think like you?-is what I was trying to say." The chief chuckled, "Appreciate the careful wording, but we can be straight up with each other. No. She was awesome, but not crazy. I got to that all to myself." he grimaced, bitterly.

"Dad was brave too, but I think that she had him beat. Either way, he was more on the adventurous side. He would start daydreaming about missions that he could have around the world and was never satisfied with being cooped up on the island. If you got his attention at all, you could consider yourself special." Dagur smiled, warmly, at his sister, "**You** could always bring him back to reality. They both loved you to pieces, Heather. Even came up with different songs whenever you couldn't sleep or would cry. Mom's songs worked better for getting you to settle down, but Dad's bad voice and lyric writing would make you laugh." He cackled at the memory.

Clearing his throat, Dagur did his best "singing Oswald" impression, "Please sleep because it's late, and you'll start to feel great. I'm really tired and you are too, so we know what we need to do." Heather laughed, "Is that really what he did?" Her brother nodded, "If not, worse. Can't say he didn't try, at least. Every so often, you'd get sick because you wouldn't sleep and Mom would fix you all up. She was great with everything first aid/health related." His face clouded over, "So, when a fever outbreak hit the island, she was up all night, looking after our people. Her remedies worked wonders, but she wasn't getting any rest and caught it too."

"She got worse and worse. Soon, without our best healer, most of the island was ill. Your immune system still needed work and you could've gotten sick, if you had been around everybody." Dagur's expression was solemn, "I didn't know how serious the fever was, until Mom died. Seeing that, I knew I had to get you out of there. There was a nice tree in the village that I had been carving for some time. Had made a little boat out of it and used that to transport you. Figured that if I put the horn in there too, we'd be able to reunite and I'd know that it was you."

Heather was silent for a few moments. Finding her words, she spoke, "I thought that you just decided having me around was boring or something." Dagur rose from the chair and took her hand in his, "Never that. I've loved you since I found out that I was having a little sibling." he chuckled, "I couldn't figure out why Mom's stomach was getting so big. Wasn't like she was eating a whole lot."

Heather giggled with him and then turned serious, "How did Dad react?" She felt as his hands tensed and Dagur released hers, taking a deep breath, "He was, understably, upset. I pretty much made up his mind on whether to go or not. One day, down the line, he just was gone. Without you or Mom, he had no reason to stay." The chief slid back into the seat, "Sometimes, I ponder over what would've happened if I hadn't interferred."

Heather put her hand to her chin, thoughtfully, "From what I've seen in my old village, babies that are exposed to diseases and already have an issue with health don't tend to make it. You, actually, might have saved my life." This earned her a grin from the other Berserker. "And as for Dad not having a reason to stay, don't think that way. Under all your jokes and bravado, you don't really give yourself enough credit."

Dagur felt awkward with talking about that and Heather could tell, "Well, I'm about to head to sleep." she told, saving him from further conversation on the matter. He smiled, "Night, Sis. Sleep well." he said, heading towards the door. "Goodnight Bro. And, thanks for telling me. I needed that." she divulged, sincerely. He gave a nod and exited the hut.

The subsequent morning, Mala headed into the village, seeing how it all was coming along. "_Perhaps, I should check on the library."_ she thought. They had placed the building, appropriately, near where the school would go. The queen stood at the entrance and marveled at how well-constructed it looked. The building was tall, wide, and had elaborate designs of leather on it. One could even have considered it elegant.

Smiling, Mala entered and could see where the library needed work. The inside was, almost, completely undone. Wooden blocks promised to make good shelves and groups of stacked books lied in the corner of the building. Most of the vikings were carving chairs and tables, diligently, while others were organizing books. They brightened upon seeing Mala.

"Chieftess, we were just trying to decide how to arrange these. Do you think that they should be done alphabetically or in category?" Vorg inquired. The queen pondered, "I believe that a combination would be best. Each new section would go to the right in alphabetical order as well as the books within the categories." The Berserker nodded and started to work on what she had said. Mala assisted them on their task and aided the carvers with readying the shelves.

A Defender had finished with a shelf and was trying to move it to the wall, but it was too heavy for the viking. Noticing this, Herald went over and helped him transport the object. "Thanks." came the strained gratitude. The two put the shelf on the farthest side of the wall, "How is this, my Queen?" the smaller viking asked. Mala nodded, approvingly, "Very good."

The vikings accomplished completing more shelves and they began putting up the books. A scoff sounded as a Defender flipped through some pages. "Forcing an innocent Skrill to attack as a weapon. Disgraceful." she said, disgusted. Some Berserkers side-eyed her, but said nothing. Getting no reaction, she pressed on, "And it is actually in the history book as well. I have never done something so cruel, nor would I ever glorify an act like that." Irritated by the rant, someone spoke out, but it was neither the queen nor a Berserker.

"Can we not leave the past in the past? I, for one, would not want to return to the days of our traditional courting." a Defender stated, frowning at the other viking. The first Defender was aghast with her, "Traitor." she whispered, harshly. Ignoring her, the other Defender continued aiding with placing the books upon the shelves. Mala smiled at seeing the display.

By afternoon, the library was almost done. Dagur arrived to check in on things and grinned at Mala, "How're things going? It looks great." He spun around to take it all in. "We have just about finished. How is the trading post?" she inquired. "Really nice. Just a few more stands to fill up, so we'll be ready to go by tomorrow. And guess what?" Dagur questioned, excitedly. Mala's brow rose, "What?" He puffed up to the size of a yak, "No fights! How'd it go in **that** regard?" Mala gestured to the one Defender, "She stood up to another viking for speaking ill of Berserkers. We are really coming a long way from when we started, Beloved."

Mala thought about what they had done and inquired, "What is left to repair? There should only be the children's area, yes?" Dagur nodded, "Yep. Just the kiddies play place. Want to see how they're doing?"He offered his arm, properly, to Mala, who accepted it as they began to venture towards the upcoming location.

A faux ax throwing station was set up and already was being occupied. Spotting an obstacle course plank that was too low for any real thrill, Mala put some more metal underneath the item. The kids saw the royal pair and rushed over to them, "See what we've done?" they asked, pridefully. The two smiled, "We do." Mala stated, "And it is simply marvelous. Is there more that you plan on adding?" They nodded, emphatically, "We have to make a slide that goes straight into the little hot rock pit. There are some normal rocks nearby, so it'll be fun to try to step on only those." The couple looked around for something to do and viewed a fort that could have used some work. "Wouldn't mind some help, would you?" Dagur inquired. "Not at all. **Please**." a little Berserker requested, beaming.

They made their way to the makeshift building and paused to listen. Sounds of thumping, whimpers, and protests emitted from the hut. Hurrying, the duo entered the fort and saw a teenaged Berserker punching a little Defender and another Berserker trying to stop the attack. Dagur grabbed the older viking by the arm and dangled him in the air, "Explain yourself." he demanded as Mala checked on the small child. The Berserker looked frightened from the surprise, but, quickly, regained his confidence, "I told him to give me that mace of his, but he wouldn't."

Anger flashed through Dagur's eyes, "It's **his**. Not yours. Did he promise that he'd give it to you or anything?" The adolescent was sheepish, "No." he grumbled. "You're twice his age too. Why're you even around him?" the chief interrogated, suspiciously. "My big cousin taught me everything that I know. Anything worthwhile, he got by taking it. Said that the younger the viking, the harder for them to fight back." The Berserker chief made a face at hearing that, "Sounds like a jerk **and **a creep. Who's your cousin?" The boy raised his head, proudly, "Ansson the Abominable."

Dagur's palm met with his own forehead, "Of course, he is." he grunted. The boy's eyes had a twinkle of mischief in them, "Heard that he got all his stuff from **you**. Said he even called you 'Dagur the D-'" "Watch it." The chief warned, "Start working for your belongings because we better never have this happen again." he

informed. The younger Berserker turned ashen, "Yes, Chief." He scurried off and Mala was still looking at the little Defender.

"Are you all right?" she inquired. The boy was shaken and bruised, but other than that he was fine, "I am okay. Thank you." he stated, looking at them both, gratefully. "Talk to us. That goes to both of you." Dagur said, eying both of the kids, "No bullies are allowed on my watch." he told him, patting his shoulder, gently. The Defender and Berserker smiled and the rest of their work at the area was, perfectly, peaceful.

That night, Dagur lifted Mala into a bridal position, surprising her. She laughed, "And to what do I owe this luxury?" He nuzzled his head against hers, "Just for being you, Malapoo. Thanks for being so calm through all of this. It would've been a lot more stressful, if you were like **moody** or something." Mala feigned hurt, "And here I was believing myself to be high-maintenance." Dagur chuckled at her, "Heaven forbid I discourage your opinion of yourself." They made their way to their hut and enjoyed the peace and solitude.

More time passed and the island was redone in a glorious manner, the vikings were enjoying each other, and the four leaders were loving every bit of it. No, unexpected, heat came nor, unexpected, squabbles. Mild disagreements were natural and they did not escalate. The two main rulers lied in bed, after another productive day. It was very late, but Dagur was about to get up, as usual. He looked at Mala, lovingly, and began to rise as and inconspicuously as humanly possible. Before he could, Mala jerked upwards and rushed to the washroom.

Sounds of gagging and dry heaving ensued and Dagur ran to make sure that she was not dying. The queen's face was pale and flushed, but mainly full of shock. "I am **never** ill." she stated, astonished, "There was not even any new food that I sampled." Dagur dunked a cloth into some cool water and wiped her face. She, weakly, grabbed at the air for the item, "I..can do that." He sucked his teeth, "And I can do it too. Try to take as deep of breaths as you can." Mala complied and started to feel less queasy. "Now that you're more stabilized, let me go make you some ginger tea. Settle that stomach some." Dagur told. Mala nodded, appreciatively, and he left to do the task.

The beverage was, speedily, done and he brought it to the room. Mala had climbed onto the bed and sat upright, "Thank you." she said, accepting the tea. He slid next to her and put a, careful, hand on her forehead, "You're not feverish." Putting his ear to her chest he heard no labored breaths, "No cough either." Pensively, he stroked his beard, "Wonder what the problem was." Mala shrugged, "I actually feel much better now, but agree. Whatever caused this is unknown. I have gone over the different reasons and none seem to apply. I feel as though I'm forgetting one, however."

Dagur leaned against the back of the bed, "Maybe the food had gone bad. Shouldn't have, though. We just caught it. Ugh, forget I mentioned that option." Mala chuckled, "I am thankful for your efforts, Dear." She thought more as she consumed the warm liquid, "My mother told me of a sudden illness that hit her." The chieftess took another sip, "Although, it only occurred once. When did she say that is was?" Mala placed the empty mug down and frowned, trying to remember. Abruptly, her eyes widened and Dagur's brow rose, "What's wrong?" A small smile graced the Defender's lips, "I recall now." The chief tilted his head, in an, accidentally, wolf puppy manner, "When did it happen?" Mala looked at him and held his hand, "Right as she realized that she was going to have me."


	14. Announcement

Dagur stared at Mala for a few seconds, until an enormous smile engulfed his entire face. He nuzzled his head against the queen's stomach, lovingly, "Hello, little warrior." he cooed, "Daddy's here." Mala chuckled and stroked his hair, smiling, "I was hoping that we would be certain soon." she stated. The chief held her hand, intertwining their fingers, "I never had any doubts." he kissed her hand, "Now, we can **really **start deciding on names." he sighed, happily. Dagur sat upright and grinned again, "We have to narrow it down from last time. There were a few too many options." Mala nodded, "Yes, I believe some were only there because they existed and not because we wanted to use them."

The chief got up to grab a scroll and lit a lamp for them to read, "Let's see which ones are the bes-" he stopped and smirked, "Looks like Heather was feeling ornery because I know that neither of **us** wrote down the twins' old boar's name." Mala began to laugh, "Bjorn?" Dagur bobbed his head as he crossed off the name, zealously. The king plopped down next to the queen and moved the paper in a way that they both could see. Mala pointed at a name, "I really like 'Brenna' for a daughter. Perhaps that can stay as an option." "Works for me. It's pretty-I like that 'sword' meaning too. Sounds like she'll be good in battle." Dagur divulged.

"You have 'Quadira', full of power. Though, that might boost her ego too much before she even gets started." The chief said, thoughtfully, looking at Mala. She nodded in agreement, "What about 'Frode'? Wise and enlightened. That could be a nice one for a son." Dagur gestured to another, "Or 'Herleif'. He'd, certainly, be the descendant of warriors like the name implies." he stated, grinning, broadly. Mala smiled, sleepily, and Dagur started to roll the scroll back up. "What are you doing?" she inquired. He glanced at her, "You're exhausted and need to rest. Let's talk more about it in the morning." The queen wanted to protest, but had to fight back a yawn, "All right." she conceded.

Dagur placed the scroll on top of a table and blew out the lamp's light. Contently, he slid under the covers next to Mala. The chief did not sleep, but he thought of more names and things that they could do with the child, "_We'll have to teach the baby to sail and navigate, lead our people, cook, fight, ooh, it's going to be so fun!"_ he kept thinking. It was difficult to restrain happy laughter, but he did for his wife's sake. She slept, soundly, and dreams of her life with the bew baby and her husband filled her head. A soft smile formed on her lips as she rested.

In the chieftess's fantasy, the baby was there, but as more of a spirit than a solid form. There were joyous laughs and Mala saw as she and Dagur helped train the child to do hand to hand combat. They sang songs and danced, transitioning to seeing the future baby sitting on a throne and leading their people.

As an hour passed, Dagur could lie down no longer. There were things that he had to do and the sooner he did them, the better. His eyes lit up with a memory, "_Tabby said that she had written a book for first time mothers. I bet that I can find it. Just don't remember it's name."_ he thought. The king rose from the bed and got ready to leave. Exiting the hut, he headed to the library, concealed by darkness.

The chief lit a lamp on the building and began scanning the shelves for the desired book. None of the titles sounded like they involved any pregnancies or babies, so he kept going. "_Come on!" _he thought, impatiently, "_People have babies all the time. You'd think that there'd be more books for what to do."_ Smiling, brightly, he spotted the novel and grabbed it, going over to a chair. The book could have been a tome and it made Dagur, who considered himself a fast reader, feel like a novice. Nevertheless, the viking soaked up the information and appreciated that it incorporated various mothers' experiences.

The chief wrote a letter and, as soon as Dagur heard a Terrible Terror squawk, he attached the note to the dragon for it to fly to Berk. He wanted to share the good news with everyone. Dagur returned home and prepared an extra nutritious meal for Mala. When she entered the room, he smiled and gave her a gentle hug, "Morning, Malapoo." They kissed and Mala sat down to the breakfast, "Thank you." Dagur slid into a chair beside her, 'I found some information about pregnancies from Tabby's guidebook. Wrote down some notes too." he pulled out some scrolls and cleared his throat.

"You cannot have any raw fish." the Berserker began. "I do not eat uncooked fish." Mala stated. Dagur pointed at her, "And you **won't**." he told. She laughed, "Very well, nutritionist husband of mine." He started up again, "You need to relax, while still moving around, so that you'll be able to recover faster. Healthy foods only. That'll help you both. Apparently, babies are kinda selfish and like to take all the vitamins out of their moms. Guess that they can be taught to share after they pop out." the king joked, lightly. Mala shook her head in amusement. "We'll have to fill you up with the best foods, so no mead. There are a few more details. Want to hear the rest?" The queen put her hand to her chin, "Let's go do our rounds first." she smiled, "And tell Heather and Throk, of course." Dagur grinned, "You're the only reason I waited. To be honest, I'd have, probably, knocked down their doors last night to tell them, if you had been up for it." he laughed.

The couple went to Heather's hut first, knocking on the door. When she opened up, the Berserker saw the largest smiles on her brother and sister's faces that she ever had before, "What's going on? Did a shipload of weapons and dragons suddenly appear out of thin air?" They shook their heads, fervently, "Nope, Sis, something far better. Come on. We're about to go grab Throk." Dagur told her. Heather exited the home and followed them to their other neighbor. The Defender opened his door, "Hello, my lieges." he noticed their, evident, exultation, "Might I inquire as to for what the, unusually, large smiles are?" "All shall be explained in a moment, Throk." Mala told. They gestured for him to follow them back to their hut.

Once inside, the four sat across from each other and Heather could stand the suspense no more, "Okay, what's happening?" Dagur took Mala's hand and they looked at the two vikings. Simultaneously, they spoke, "We're going to have a baby." It took a moment to fully sink in, however, as soon as it did, the two other vikings were up and grinning. "Congratulations!" Throk exclaimed. Heather hugged the two, "I'm so happy for you. You're both going to be great parents." Realization hit her and she grinned wider, "And you're going to make me an aunty!" Throk was happy, but could not conceal the slight separation that he felt, "I look forward to meeting the heir." Dagur viewed him and flicked his wrist, "Don't be so formal, Throkie. You're the honorary uncle."

Hearing this, the guard beamed, "And I **am **honored." he bowed, slightly. "The others would love to know. Did you send a Terror mail to Berk?" Heather inquired. Her brother nodded, "Yep, got that done this morning. Now, we just have to tell the rest of the island." Throk stepped forward, "I will collect the others, so that they might learn of this." He rushed out and, before they knew it, all of the island had migrated to the center of the island near the stage.

Dagur climbed onto the platform and gave Mala a hand, "We have gathered you here for an important announcement." the king called. The queen placed a hand on her stomach, "An heir to the throne will be among us." A cheer went through the crowd and the couple smiled at one another. So many new opportunities had opened and their hopes and had been fulfilled. They could not wait until the baby was there with them.


	15. Guests

Mala awoke to the fresh smell of berries tantalizing her senses. Despite how grateful she was to be able to have such a start every morning, a part of her was saddened by being in the bed alone. The soon-to-be mother was unsure if it were the new spirit within her or not, but she was beginning to feel new presences and whenever an old one would leave. Every single night, a lonliness came over her as the king would leave. Constantly, she wondered where he went, however he was so cheerful around her that she did not say anything.

The queen went to the dining area and sat down, grinning, "Hello, Love." she greeted the chief. Dagur bent down to give her a kiss on the cheek, "Morning, beautiful. How are you feeling today?" The Berserker noticed Mala's subtle look of sadness, he had since the first time it appeared. His eyes went to her stomach, which seemed to know that they had just learned of its new renter and had, subsequently, formed a slight bump. A, loving, smile went over Dagur's face and Mala's, "I am feeling fine. How about you? You awoke very early again." she commented. Dagur shrugged, "I'm all right. Wanted to make sure that this was ready for you." The queen took a hold of his hand, pulling him closer for a kiss on the lips, "And I appreciate that." She said, after they were done.

Upon exiting their hut, a Terrible Terror flew over to the king of queen, a letter attached to its body. Removing the note, Mala read, "To the rulers of Defenders of the Wing and Berserker Island, we dragon riders are coming to visit on account of the news we have receiv-" She was interrupted by the sight of the Berkians flying over to them.

The leaders laughed, "Can I ask what the note was for, Brother?" Dagur asked. Hiccup chuckled, dismounting off of Toothless's saddle, "Eh, call it a courtesy." he offered. Dagur smirked, "Fair enough." He went over and engulfed the Berkian in a hug. As soon as he released, Hiccup was wide-eyed, "Wow, you didn't even crush me. Now I **know** that Mala's pregnant." he joked. The chief cackled and looked at his wife, "Yep, can't afford hurting either of them."

The riders looked at the place in awe, "All lot has changed. It's really nice." Hiccup complimented. The leaders beamed, proudly, "There was a bit of an issue in the beginning, but everything is working very well. As you can see, our kingdoms have truly become one." Mala told the Berkians. Astrid walked over to her, "Congratulations on the baby. Gotta admit, I was kind of surprised to learn about this." The queen observed her, inquisitively, "Why is that?" Snotlout chimed in, "Well," he started, "I guess not so much a baby coming along, but after it gets here. No offense, but it's going to be weird you two being parents."

Ruffnut tsked, "I couldn't do it, sister. Having your stomach get all big just so that you can feel like you're pushing a yak out of your-" "Okay, enough of that." Hiccup interjected, blushing on behalf of his friends, "I couldn't think of a good reason for them to stay." he whispered to the couple. The chief and chieftess were unfazed, "We've been around them long enough. **That's** to be expected." Dagur stated, matter-of-factly. Turning his attention to the Jorgenson, he spoke, "It'll be great to be parents. We lead people all the time, so it'll be a nice change of pace to teach someone **how** to lead. And, of course, the baby will be the cutest thing that we've ever seen. I mean, look at the DNA on its side." He wrapped his arm around Mala and, practically, posed with her.

Astrid rolled her eyes as Hiccup shook his head, "Oh, gods." Fishlegs was giggling at the thought, "The baby should be really healthy as long as you eat well, don't stress, and get plenty of rest." He pulled out a scroll, "Here, I made a list of things that'll help." The viking handed them over and Mala chuckled, "Thank you, Fishlegs, but I am already doing all these things. More too, as it were." The Berkian's eyes gaped, "You know about all this?" Mala gestured to Dagur, "He has stayed quite informed on the best strategies." Astrid nodded, impressed, "Dagur looking up pregnancy information. Our world sure is a strange one." she thought, aloud.

Speaking to the group moreso than herself this time, Astrid said, "It's been a while since we all caught up. How about the girls hang out and the guys, then tonight we come together?" she suggested. Everyone was all right with the idea and Dagur went to retrieve Heather. The Berserker answered her door and ran over to her best friend, "Astrid!" she exclaimed, giving the Berkian a hug. The groups went off with that promise of the night.

"So, have you two thought of any names for the baby?" Astrid inquired. Mala nodded, "Yes, but we have not decided quite yet. Plus, we have no clue the child's gender." "Have any preferences?" Ruff asked. Mala shook her head, "Not at all. I will be more than happy with **any** baby that we have." The Thorston shrugged, lackadaisically, "You say that now." "And I shall feel that then." Mala told her, firmly, "You cannot dissuade me, Ruffnut." The Berkian raised her hands, defensively, "Woah, never said I was trying to. Sen-si-tive." she sighed, almost dreamily, "That kid's going to be one tough burly cake, though with you two. I'll have to come visit more often."

Astrid smiled, "It would be nice to have a kid. Maybe two." Heather nudged her, ornerily, "Ooh, should we be expecting an announcement letter from you and Hiccup soon?" Astrid shoved her, playfully, "Not anytime soon, but one day, I hope. We have to be more than betrothed first." Looking at Mala, she spoke, "How's the pregnancy been? Have there been any problems?" "No, it all has been rather fine. I have not puffed to the size of Shattermaster yet, so that is pleasurable." Mala stated, smiling and then it faded, moderately. The queen's face portrayed a reservation and the Berserker pressed, "What's that face for?" Mala tried to shake her head clear of the thought, "Nothing." Heather frowned, "Mala, you're my sis. Also, it's not healthy for you to harbor onto concerns. Just tell us."

A deep sigh emitted from the queen and she divulged, "During the middle of every night, Dagur leaves the hut. I do not know where he goes or why he does, but he does." The other vikings were thoughtful, "Maybe he's just an early riser." Astrid offered. Heather nodded in agreement, "That's true. He used to leave the hut early all the time when Berserker Island was still separate. It's not a new thing." The sound of Ruffnut "hmm"ing caught their attention, "Oh, what now, Ruff?" Astrid asked, annoyed. "Leaving in the middle of the night? What's out there? Nothing. Except other vikings." Since she could tell that no one was following her, she elaborated, "While viking unions are forever, no one had ever said that there have no infidelities."

Astrid squinted at her, "How do you even know that word?" "Don't doubt my random knowledge." Ruff replied. She slung her arm over Mala's shoulders, "Dagur is a very adventurous guy. He likes surprises. Can't get that when you're with the same person day in and day out." Heather glared at the viking, "My brother's no cheater. He loves Mala and would never do something that he knew would hurt her." Ruffnut was unaffected by the harsh tone, "It's just a theory. He's gotta be doing **something **out there. Unless he's totally mad and just goes walking in the middle of the night. Sheesh, Heather. At least **my** idea had him be sane-for him."

Heather, positively, burned with rage and Mala placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her, "**We** have trust in Dagur and are his family. It does not matter what others choose to believe." she stated, diplomatically. The ruler glanced at Ruffnut, "I do not know why Dagur leaves and I am curious, but I** know** that it is not for the reason you suggested. I would appreciate it if you did not ever say this to any of us again." The firm look in the young woman's eyes told that she meant business and even Ruffnut knew better than to try her.

As this was occurring, the boys were off talking. "How soon are you going to start with schooling? Normal time or starting early?" Fishlegs asked. Dagur was ambivalent, "It'll depend on the kid. Be a bookworm and we'll start teaching sooner than later or not be and we won't. I can't make a call on that before I even meet our child." Snotlout bumped into the Ingerman, "Fishface, Dagur the Deranged doesn't care about schooling. Stop with your boring questions. The real thing is, when are you going to start the kid's **training**? It'll need some combat." Dagur eyed the viking, "I **do** care about schooling. Was a good student too. It's important to be able to think as quickly as you can throw a punch. Combat goes the same as schooling. Depends on the kid."

Snotlout yawned, rudely, "Ugh, you've been hanging around Hiccup and Fishface too much." The Berserker chief ignored him and Tuffnut started, "Are you telling us that your kid could be as geeky as Fishlegs and Hiccup or as violent as Astrid and you wouldn't mind either way?" he asked, disbelievingly. Dagur smirked, "Either way. I'm a quick adjuster, so we'd still get along just fine." To the mild annoyance of everyone, Tuff began to list off any trait that he could think of that the child might possess.

Just as Dagur had decided that the Berkian was saying nothing worth listening to and had blocked him out, something caught his ear. "Ooh, what if the kid is just like you?" Blood drained from the chief's face as he turned ashen. Tuffnut looked at him, shocked, "Well, it was just a possibility." The Berserker rubbed his neck, forcing a smile, "Yeah, that's an option too. It's just that I never thought about it before." Clapping his hands together, Dagur turned to the new children's area, "I **am **hoping that our baby will like this, though. Nothing like a little thrill to get yourself ready for life." he laughed.

The feast was a delicious one and was filled with smiles and laughter. Late into the night, the riders grew tired, "I guess, it's time for us to head back." Hiccup stated. Dagur frowned, "Nonesense! I asked a few vikings to prepare some huts for you. We've got plenty and made sure to add some guest huts for whenever you came to visit." A touched smile went over the Berkians' faces and they thanked the leaders, going to their temporary homes.

That night at the couple's hut, both were deep in thought over what they had heard. Every part of Mala knew that her husband was loyal to her, but she still wanted to know where he would go, _"Why does he leave? I do not expect him to behave like most vikings, but must I be denied the simple luxury of spending the night, comforted by my husband's warmth?"_ Dagur could not stop thinking about their upcoming baby, _"What if Tuff's right? How could I never think about that? The baby could think like **I** do. Wouldn't wish that on my enemy, least of all our child. Our poor, little, baby."_ he thought, miserably.

As hours passed, Mala was in deep sleep and Dagur's wished his had been dreamless. There was a child. He could not see what the young one looked like, but knew that the viking was Mala's and his. The youth was surrounded by other kids, who pointed and laughed, "You're stupid." one called. "Just crazy!" another said. "We don't want to be around someone like you." The children started to walk away and the leaders' child attacked one, attracting more to pull the heir off. Throwing the viking to the ground, the other kids left, "We don't want to be around someone like you."

Small sobs came from the dream child and Dagur awoke. _"Was that some foreshadowing of our baby's fate?"_ he wondered, sadly. The chief rose from the bed and got ready to leave. Still in slumber, the queen felt as the king left. Sadness kicked in and she, sleepily, reached for him. She was too slow and he had already exited the room by the time she had done this. Another lonely night awaited for Mala and another sleepless for Dagur.


	16. Reactions

Months passed and Mala was advancing in her pregnancy. She found herself both surprised and impressed at how Dagur managed to find more things for them to do, daily, that would help with carrying the baby. Despite having the young one taking her nutrients for itself, Mala had never felt healthier. The couple were in the company of the healers and they looked through notes, "Everything seems to be in order." one stated, "The baby is developing at a very good rate and should come at the expected due date."

The expecting parents held hands and nuzzled their heads together, "Thanks for telling us. We just want to make sure it's all coming along fine." Dagur told the vikings. The couple rose and exited the hut, the chief looking quite contemplative. "What is wrong, dear? You seem to be deep in thought." Mala noted. Dagur frowned further, "We're forgetting **something**, but I can't figure out what it is." He paced back and forth, the queen turning her head to watch him, "Well, whatever it is, I am sure that we shall be able to aqcuire it." When the king kept pacing, Mala stepped in front of him, "It would be best if there were **not** a trench here." she grinned.

Dagur chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, "Guess it wouldn't be the best landscaping. Let's go start everything up again." He took Mala's hand and guided her back to their hut, "I believe that a snack is in order. What colors are you thinking this time?" Dagur asked, walking over to the kitchen. Mala sat down, shrugging, "Are red and yellow all right?" Her husband nodded, "Totally. How do roasted yellow peppers, cooked with chicken, and glazed in a raspberry sauce sound? Ooh, there can be some rose tea too." Mala smiled, "It sounds splendid, love." The Berserker beamed, "Then, it'll be up in a few, darling."

After a short amount of time, Dagur put the food onto a plate for Mala and she gave him a kiss in gratitude, "Now, where is **your** meal?" He sat down beside her, "I'm not very hungry. Planned on setting up some exercises for you, when you're done." The chieftess brightened, "Care for a sword fight?" Dagur's facial expression resembled horror, "No! You could get hurt." Mala made a face, "I am pregnant, not ill. My reflexes with not be lesser than before." The Berserker crossed his arms, sternly, and the Defender stood up from the table, going over to him.

Mala leaned down, giving the chief a butterfly. Dagur was unmoved by the act and held his chin higher, "I'm not budging. I never said that you **can't **sword fight, only that you shouldn't. There's no downside to waiting until after the baby gets here." That was fair to the chieftess and she stopped, "Okay, that is acceptable." Her face turned ornery, "You **must** be quite determined to not even have responded to that." Dagur smiled, "Yours and the baby's safeties are more important than simple pleasures."

When the meal had been finished, Mala and Dagur started doing some yoga. The Berserker had done some research that indicated the exercise could be helpful. The queen was fluid in her movements as was the king, but the slowness and redundancy of it got to him. Not wanting to complain, he just stopped and started doing his more common workouts. "If you ever did this for longer than one minute, you might find yourself enjoying it." Mala commented, getting into an upward dog. Dagur did some one handed pushups and grinned at her, "Hey, when you reach minute eighty and move on to your-I'll be generous-**third** pose, I'll join." He laughed and Mala tossed a towel at him, playfully.

Mala moved, beginning to do a forward lunge as Dagur found a bar to dangle his legs over and pull his torso up and down on. Abruptly, the Defender crutched over, holding her stomach. Dagur leapt to the ground and rushed over to the queen, "Are you all right?" he asked, scooping her off of her feet and lying her down. Mala raised herself back up with her elbows, "I..am fine. Surprised, though. H-happily, surprised." With her husband's face full of worry, Mala grasped his hand and placed it on her abdomen. A glow appeared on Dagur's face and he giggled, "A kick. Our baby's got spirit already!" The chief tickled Mala with his beard and she laughed, "Growing larger and stronger everyday." she noted, excitedly.

As night fell, Mala was to sleep and Dagur made sure of that. "Will you, at least, join me?" she requested. He nodded and ended up in bed beside her. The queen wrapped her arm around the king, finding comfort in his presence and warmth. Dagur kissed the back of her hand, lovingly, and listened as her breaths became even and she fell into slumber. Most of him knew that he should rise and find something to do, nonetheless, he yearned to rest near his beloved.

In Dagur's dreams, the same, gentle, hand of his wife became a rough one, rising from around his waist to his throat. Tremors wrecked his body as he could not even be sure who was strangling him. So many had attacked him before, it could have been anyone. The unknown viking lifted him into the air and the Berserker's ear was brought close to a mouth. "Mala and the child shall suffer." the viking promised, with a voice that combined those of the Grimborns', Alvin's, Savage's, and Ansson's. Dagur tried to pry the hand away, "Don't you touch them." he snarled. A, sickening, cackle filled his ears, "Wedon't have to. That's what **you're **for." His neck was released and the chief realized that he had been hovering in the sky, now plummeting to the ground.

Dagur jerked as he felt himself make contact with a surface, although it was his and Mala's bed. Gently removing the chieftess's arm from around him, the viking rubbed a hand over his face. _"Clothes!" _he thought, hastily, "_How could we have forgotten those?"_ Dagur rose from the bed and prepared for the morning. When he was finished, he went and got some fabrics that he had bought earlier, _"What were these going to be used for, originally?" _he wondered, wiggling them,_ "Ooh, right. Probably should do some diapers too."_

The chief started work on making tunics, vests, diapers, jackets, and pants. All the outfits that he sewed were gender neutral. Dagur arranged them next to each other, seeing which items went together best. Annoyed, he frowned, "_I don't know how to make boots."_ he realized, unhappily, "_Guess we'll have to **buy** those."_ The king sighed and kept designing. He stopped only to make Mala some breakfast and then returned to work.

The queen rose to another empty bed and looked, sadly, at where her husband should have been. When she arrived in their dining area, a plate of food and a bundle of clothes were placed in front of her. Dagur's face was engulfed in a hopeful grin, "These are what we were forgetting. Our baby would've been going around nude." Mala chuckled, "I feel as though we would have made something before that occurred." She picked them up to inspect, "Very nice lock stitches. Snotlout would be jealous." she added, winking. The chief laughed, "Figured that they could be in various sizes, so when our little one grows they can still be worn." His eyes saddened, "Sorry about them not being, particularly, obvious for a boy or girl. I hope that it can suit either."

Mala smiled at the Berserker, "These are wonderful. Quite plentiful too. Did you do all of them last night?" Dagur nodded, "Wanted to get as much as possible. I can always add more, but thought that we should get a good headstart before we have to really focus in on other aspects of the baby." The chief snapped his fingers and pointed at the queen, "If food were mashed up **really** finely and put in an airtight container, do you think that it would last for a while?" Mala shrugged, "I have never tested that before." She made a disgusted face, "Please do not tell me that you've learned pregnant vikings should not use their teeth." Dagur laughed at her expression and statement, "No, it wouldn't be for you, Malapoo. It'll be for our little one. Baby food."

The mother-to-be moved her bang out of her eyes, "Well, I thought that **I **would be providing the baby food." She glanced down and Dagur followed her gaze, "You can do that too, but they'll need to he weened off of it, sometime. Plus, no offense, but I doubt it would taste all that good." He gave an, apologetic, smile. The chieftess pretended to be hurt and wound up laughing, "Fair point. Let us move to the other food later, though. Allow the baby's stomach to adjust, gradually." The king went over and shook her hand, "That's a deal."

As Mala put the last forkful in her mouth, a lamp lit in her head, "I have a suggestion for something that we can try-a challenge of sorts." Dagur leaned forward, "All right. What is it?" The queen stood up from the table and grabbed two scrolls, "What if we were to go ask different parents situations that they have encountered with their children and see how they responded? Then, we write that down and see how each other would react." she offered. Dagur tapped his chin, thoughtfully, "I like it! How do we make sure that we don't go to the same huts?" Mala handed him a scroll, "I can take the right side of the island and you, the left."

The queen walked up to a hut and knocked on its door, receiving an answer, shortly. "Hello, Chieftess, what can I do ya for?" the Berserker inquired. Mala grinned, "Hello, I was wondering if you would be willing to tell me about some instances that you have had with your children. Dagur and I are trying to see how we would and should respond to the unexpected." The viking was fascinated by the concept and enjoyed talking, so he invited the queen in. "Dear!" he called out, "We've got the Chieftess here wanting to know some stories about the kiddies. Should I do it alone or are you going to join us?"

There was a bit of shuffling and the Berserker's wife emerged, grinning, eagerly, "Ya won't be having a story time without **my **input. Oh, you've come to the right place. We've had our fair share of experiences with our wee ones. Please, sit down. I know how heavy babies are when they're pulling you forward." Mala complied and sat down in a chair near the couple. The two Berserkers held hands and commenced their tales. "And this **other** time," the husband started up again, "they had the biggest argument. We couldn't take all the noise anymore, so we handed them some little maces and let them settle it. Whoever was the victor, won both fights."

The mother chimed in, "Don't forget about the night fright." she sighed, "Children find the most peculiar things terrifying. There was this one week where none of them wanted the lights to be out. Mainly because **s****omeone**," she poked her husband's arm, harshly, "thought it was a good idea to tell ghost stories right before the longest nights were to come." The man blushed and Mala chuckled, "What did you do to resolve the issue?" "Well," the Berserker said, "We let them know that if anything were gonna get them, we'd take it out; however, if they kept squealing everytime a shadow appeared, we'd take **them** out."

As Mala's ear was spoken off, Dagur was preparing for a similar fate. He had found a hut with an older couple who were grandparents. They were more than open to divulge their knowledge, "Good to see you, younger, vikings wanting to learn from we, older, professionals." the Defender said, "Having a child is a great blessing, but it can be **very **challenging. There is no real way to prepare, due to everyone being different. What we can tell you, though, is that most want approval from their parents. It is good to show that you support them, although they should not rely on your acceptance. They need to have self-confidence and be willing to do what is right, even if you disagree."

The elderly woman laughed, "Of course, sometimes they take that to heart far too much. Our eldest daughter wanted a tattoo of her boyfriend and we told her that she might not always find it that charming. By this time, she was old enough to make her own desicions and got the tattoo. They broke up a month later and she has covered it up with, at least, five other designs." Dagur had to grin at that, "That's quite unfortunate." he said, trying to be nice. The lady flicked her wrist, "You are sweet, but the whole this was foolhardy and she should have listened to us. If I had tattooed every love of mine onto me, there would be no uncovered skin."

Hearing this, the lady's husband made a face at her and crossed his arms. "Oh, please, Olaf. Do not pretend that you would not be the same." she retorted. The man rolled his eyes, "I suppose. I must give you and Queen Mala credit, my King. With the speediness of your relationship, we were not sure if it would be a chronic one. I am glad that the two of you have proven us to have been wrong." The chief smiled and the older man spoke again, "Might I inquire something?" Dagur was hesitant, "Sure." "Is Mala your first love?" The lady nudged him, "Olaf!" she chastised. The king chuckled, "Yes, in fact, she is. I never took time to get like somebody in a romantic way, before she and I met."

The Defender used his hand to create a funnel near his mouth, "Well, you are the queen's first too." he whispered, smiling. Dagur beamed and puffed up, proudly, "First and last." The couple laughed, "That is the spirit." The leaders kept going to different homes, that harbored parents, and learned tales of many kinds. Some sad, some comical, and some foolish. They met up at their hut and unraveled the scrolls.

"Who should start?" Mala inquired. Dagur gestured to her, "Ladies first." She smiled and cleared her throat, "If a child is afraid of the dark, what would you do?" Expectantly, Mala looked at the chief and he made a face, pondering, "Afraid of the dark, eh? Weird fear. Um, I'd probably let them know that the night only comes because the sun's gone down. It's not coming out to hurt them, or anything." he brightened, "And you can do a lot of fun things in the dark, like shadow puppetshows and creeping-no, I wouldn't suggest that last one. But, if they start having fun experiences in the dark, they wouldn't associate it with something scary."

Mala bobbed her head in agreement, "I like that. The people that I got this from told that they said either they would after the things in dark or the children, themselves." The king laughed, heartily, "Now the kids are going to be afraid of the **day **too. There'd be no safe place. Okay, here's one for you. The kid isn't an actual kid anymore and wants a tattoo of their significant other. What do you suggest?" The queen rubbed her chin, "That is quite the commitment. Eh, I would say that while very few things are permanent, tattoes are. Aging, alone, would turn their date's face into a raisin. They might not enjoy the look in the future. I would try not to mention that they might not always be in love."

Dagur pointed the pin at her, "Smart move." They asked more questions back and forth, "Do you have anymore in your list?" Mala questioned. Dagur shook his head, "Nope. All finished. What about you?" The queen nodded, "One more." Her husband placed down his scroll, "All righty. Shoot." She began "The child has been kidnapped, wh-" "Who had **this** happen ro them?!" The chief asked, jumping up from the table, "We have to go get their kid back!" Mala raised her hands, gesturing for him to calm down, "This is a hypothetical question." The king looked at her, "Then, that's all it'd be. Hypothetical. We'd never allow something like that to occur. Sure, some cuts and bruises will happen with time. That's natural, but a **kidnapping**? No. Anything could happen to our baby. We'd have, absolutely, no control over that."

The queen had a gentle expression, "It still could occur." Dagur bit his lip and paced, slightly, "Then, I'd figure out who the criminal is, use that to learn their weaknesses, track them down, kill them, and bring our baby back. That's my answer." he told, curtly, "What would **you**. do?" Mala stood up as well, "The same as what you said. I only pray that it never comes to that." Walking over to her, Dagur took Mala's hands in his, "I'll always do my best to keep you and the baby safe. I promise that." He gave her a kiss, his hand on the queen's stomach.

Night came (as it should) and the couple were in bed. Mala fell asleep, quickly, the baby desiring rest. Dagur tried to stay awake, but the steady rhythm of his wife's breathing and the warmth her body gave relaxed him to the point of slumber. In came another nightmare, forcing the chief to return to the land of the conscious for sanctuary, "_I need to know how to wrap babies in diapers. I'll make some stuffies." _he thought, looking for any reason to not go back to sleep. Tonight was a night unlike the others, though and Mala caught his hand, gently.

"Where are you going?" she asked, tiredly. Dagur, mentally, cursed for waking her, "Nowhere special, darling. Just out front to work on diapering babies." If Mala had not known Dagur the way she did, this would have seemed like an odd thing to do in the middle of the night. "That can wait. What time is it?" The chief wished that she had not asked the question. He would not have volunteered the information, but neither would he lie, "It's one fifteen." He knew that because it was in the same beat as the time that he always woke up. Two hours after going to bed, he would awake.

Mala sat upright, "And you have no intentions on returning to bed, do you?" The king looked away, "Not necessarily. I-I'll see you in the morning. Later morning. You normally aren't even up by now." The chieftess frowned, "No, but as of late, I have noticed your absence and missed your presence. Just for **one** night, Dagur, stay in bed with me until a reasonable hour. Please." Dagur peeked at her face and saw her sad eyes. They tore at his heartstrings and he let out a small whimper, "Just this once." he conceded. The Defender's face lit up and she gave him a big kiss, "Thank you. I shall actually feel like part of a married couple this morning."

Mala laid back down, happily, as dread set into Dagur's mind. He had only ever tried to go back to sleep after a nightmare once and it was miserable. Temptation suggested that he wait until the queen fall asleep and leave, but such an act would have been dishonest. Instead, he tried to keep his mind on pleasant thoughts. How much he loved his wife, future baby, sister, and dragons. How he had, mentally, adopted the riders into his family. Surely, that would make a difference.

A difference it did make. Dagur saw the riders laughing and smiling, just enjoying their days. Suddenly, two knives went through the twins' chests, invoking them to cry out in pain and fall. Snotlout turned, trying to see who caused it and got a blade pushed into his throat. Astrid ran to help her friends and saw that she was almost too late. A figure leapt in front of her and dug an ax into her torso. Fishlegs tried to stop the attacker and a sword slit his throat. Hiccup arrived to the scene yelling, while tears ran down his face, and brought out his inferno. It was of little use and the Berkian's neck was snapped.

Shattermaster and Sleuther tried to take out the viking, but he moved in such a way that the Triple Stryke's tail hit the Gronckle. The smaller dragon could not handle the poison and shook, uncontrollably, soon perishing. Sleuther roared in horror and the viking took advantagd of his caring, hitting him on both sides of the head with clubs. To finish the task, he skinned the incapacitated reptile, alive.

Heather, Mala, and Throk stood about to engage in battle with the viking. The guard ran ahead, unsheathing a sword. His weapon was knocked out of his hands and stabbed into his back. With a Berserker cry, Heather ran to help her friend. Her attacks were futile as the other viking outmaneuvered her. The Berserker's leg was hit with an ax, taking it out from under her. With a yell, she fell forward and a blade went into her head.

Mala was in a defensive position, her face tear stained, "Do not do this." she stated, her voice sounding pleading. The viking did not listen and ran up to her, dodging a slice of her sword and forcing the queen's arm behind her. They stayed in this pose for a moment, the attacker nuzzling his face against hers. Grabbing her head, he spun it to face him and kissed Mala, passionately. She pulled herself out of the hold and punched him, looking more hurt than anything else. "Now," said a voice so cruel that Dagur did not recognize it, "that's no way to behave. And if **you** don't have any respect, how should the baby?" A blade was plunged into the Defender's stomach, making her cry out in agony. Laughing drowned her out and filled air with the sound of evil, itself.

At the couple's home, Mala was awake once more because of Dagur, but it was not due to him leaving. He was, trembling, violently, and tears streamed down his face. The Berserker pulled at his hair and grunted, seeming like if he could have ended himself, he would have. Carefully, Mala nudged his arm, "Dagur, wake up." she told. He did not hear her and she nudged with more force. "**Dagur**." she repeated, firmly. She moved her hands to his shoulder to rock him awake and her wrists were grabbed, roughly. "I don't know what you did to make me do that, but you'll pay." the chief snarled, yanking the queen forward.

As soon as the Berserker did, his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he, immediately, let Mala go. In a desperate attempt to move himself away from the chieftess, he fell put of the bed, landing hard on the ground. Dagur scrambled to his feet and made his way to the door before stopping, "I'm so sorry." he said. Mala got out of bed, "Stop." she told, going over to him. He stepped back, "I have to go." The queen went closer and took hold of his shoulders, forcing him to look at her, "What happened? What were you dreaming about?" Dagur could not answer, he was too horrified and ashamed of the dream. "You have to let me know, Dagur. How else can I help?"

The Berserker diverted his eyes from hers and shut them, tightly, for a moment. Then, forcing a smile, he turned back to the Defender, "I'm okay, Malapoo. We need to keep making sure that the baby and you are all right." The queen frowned at him, "And what about you? Am I to just watch, idly, as you deteriorate?" Dagur rubbed the bridge of his nose, "You already are carrying the burdens of yourself and a baby. Why add another?" Mala was appalled, "You are **not** a burden. If you want me to be unstressed, tell me what is going on, so that I can aid in fixing it."

The king smiled, sadly, "**It** can't be fixed, Mala and neither can I. You'd be wasting your time and energy trying, so **please** don't stress on my account." The queen was saddened and the king removed her hands from on him, "I can't risk either of you getting hurt." he told, sincerely. He made his way out of the door, "I'll see you in the morning, love." After he left, Mala slumped down onto the bed, exasperated and disheartened. Likewise, a few more tremors went through Dagur's body as he tried to create stuffed babies for diaper practice. At one point, he stopped and held his face in his hand, _"Oh, Thor. I don't want to worry her, but what good'll it do if I say? We've done plenty of things together, but, **this**, I have to handle alone."_


	17. Due Dates

It was the final month of the pregnancy and the baby could have arrived at any moment. Mala was still in good health and spirits-something for which Dagur thanked Odin. The queen had just finished breakfast and her husband was trying to help her find a comfortable way to lay down. Gently, Dagur arranged her onto a bed and propped her legs and head up, slightly.

"How is-" he started, before getting interrupted by a grunt. Mala held her stomach, frowning, "Apparently, the young one wishes to sit, upright." Her frown deepened, "Well, **I **do not. You tend to pull me forward." she told the baby. The chieftess attempted to lie back down and had to stop. With a sigh, she spoke, "Already the baby is stubborn." Dagur chuckled, "Is there any other option with **both **of us as parents?" Mala made a face at him, "I will not mind that so much when it does not prevent me from finding a position to stand or sit." The king started rearranging pillows, so that she might be able to have support while sitting upwards.

Mala stared at a wall, then exhaled, heavily, "I am, actually, peckish again. This child will rival Fishlegs in terms of consumming food." Trying not to laugh, Dagur stood and started for the kitchen, "All righty. What might this super child want?" The queen shrugged, "I have no idea. Perhaps, some berries, please?" The Berserker smiled, going to fulfill the request. His return did not take a long time and Mala thanked him, partaking in the fruit.

Dagur kept an eye on the chieftess while he did some crunches. _"I can do baby lifts when the kid gets here. That'll be fun." _he thought, imagining himself pretending that the child were a weight. The chief went into a plank and observed Mala. She was holding her stomach again. "Another kick or indecisive baby moment?" he inquired. Mala shook her head and he, hastily, went over to her. "Something...more. I-I think that the baby is coming." Her eyes were excited and anxious all at the same time.

Swiftly and gingerly, Dagur scooped up the Defender. They made their way to the healers' area and the king was about to barge in the building. "We still have enough time for courtesies, dear." Mala told him, knowing what his actions would have been. Complying, the king knocked on the door, frowning, impatiently as they waited. _"I told them to be ready for a knock-whenever it might come. They've got three sec-"_ The door opened and the vikings were spared of their ruler's wrath. "The baby's coming." Dagur told, as calmly as he could manage. They led them to a bed and he laid Mala down.

Starting work, the healers checked on Mala. The chief watched as they moved around, doing various tests that he did not recognize. When the vikings had finished, they walked over to the king-whose brow was raised. "I'm noticing a lack of baby." he commented. They nodded, "Yes, Queen Mala is not yet ready to deliver." Dagur's raised brow turned into a furrowed one, "But, why did she feel like she was going into labor, then?" A healer smiled, "It was only a false alarm, Chief. They can be difficult to detect, but happen from time to time with pregnancies." Her expression turned serious, "Though, a slight concern of ours is that the baby is pushing on the Chieftess's organs a bit more than expected."

Dagur's body tensed, "What does that mean?" The Berserkers and Defenders looked unsure, "We cannot be certain. Should the child come, within the anticipated time, everything should be okay." The king felt as nerves fluttered throughout him, "And what if she **doesn't **deliver by then?" The healers looked at each other, "There's no way to tell." Trying to not appear as though he were hyper ventillating, Dagur rubbed his temples, "What do we do in the meantime?" Dismay was on their faces, "Waiting is the only thing that either of you can do."

The chieftess heard what the vikings had said and tried to stand back up. Seeing this, Dagur rushed over to her and aided in the process. He aided so much that he just ended up carrying her again. "I will be fine." she told him, confidently, "All will happen as it should." The king wished that he had her fortitude in the belief and thanked the healers for the information, before exiting. The two returned to their hut and Dagur did all that he could imagine, to make sure that Mala was comfortable. After she was settled, the Defender drifted into slumber. The chief took advantage of this time and sat down at their table, putting his palms together and in front of his face, "**Please**, Odin," he quietly, prayed, "Keep Mala and our baby alive and well."

A few weeks passed and the baby had still not arrived. Dagur never left Mala's side and was always one step ahead of anything that might have needed to be done. They heard a knock on their door, "Come in." the chief called. Heather entered the hut, smiling, sadly at the couple, "Hey, how's everything going?" she inquired. Mala gave a brave smile and Dagur tried to mirror the look. The Berserker second-in-command, evidently, had something on her mind. "What's up." her brother asked. Heather exhaled, heavily, "We need you to come and see if these new traders will be allowed here or not."

Dagur did not budge, continuing on with making Mala some snacks. He held up the plate of food, "This is said to help push out babies." Heather nodded, "Okay, but, Brother, what about the trading post?" The chief brought the food over to his chieftess, "What **about **the trading post? We've got two second-in-commands, remember? You're even one of them." he added, pointing at the Berserker, with a smug mien. "Dagur, we can put our two coins in here and there, but only a chief or chieftess can make the final call for something that'll end up affecting the village like this." The king scowled, "Then, tell them to come back when we invite them. We've got enough traders already and don't need anymore right now."

Dagur pondered for a second over the matter, "Do they supply anything new?" he questioned. Heather bobbed her head, "They have a lot of different plants." This caught her sibling's attention, "Was one of them Red Raspberry Leaf?" The younger viking tapped her chin and then shrugged, "I think so. Why? Does it help any?" Dagur smiled, "A nice amount and mainly with pregnancies." his smile faded as he looked at Mala, "But, I can't leave her, alone." Heather walked to their sides and placed both hands on their shoulders, "I'll stay with Mala. If anything happens, I'll get her to the healers faster than you can throw a blade." A laugh tickled at Dagur's chest, after hearing the last part and he eyed the two.

"We can handle this, Dagur." Mala told him. The Berserker was still full of trepidation and Heather gave him a smile, "I'm not going to let anything happen to my sister." With a final skeptic look, Dagur walked towards the door, "Fine, but I'll be back as soon as I can." Quickly, he headed down to the trading post and greeted the vikings. Going through the items, the chief made certain that none seemed the slightest bit rancid or sabotaged. Some more Willow Bark was provided-which he liked and Dagur went to check on the aforementioned Red Raspberry Leaf.

The king purchased some leaves and made his way back to his hut. As Dagur reached the building, he saw Heather, trying to help Mala out of the home. Like lightning, he was over there and lifted the queen. Her breathing was labored and her eyes were hazy and unfocused. The Berserker did not even ask what happened, instead taking her to the healers. Speedily, they set up a place for her to be comfortable and began their treatments. Dagur had no clue what they were doing and could only observe and begin to pace.

Heather tried to enter the building, however she was blocked off by some vikings, "Sorry, but only the husband and parents are allowed in the delivery room." The Berserker glowered, "But, that's my sister in there. Even if I can't see her, can't I, at least, be there for my brother?" The healers were unmoving, "Our apologies, but protocols **are **protocols. We have a waiting area over this way, if you'd like to stay here for the time being." Heather huffed an agreement and went to find Throk. She found him patrolling, as usual. As he saw her distressed expression, the guard stopped, "What is wrong, Heather?" She did not know what, exactly, to tell him was the issue, "I don't know for sure, but Mala's delivering and having a lot of difficulty. It seemed pretty serious. We can only stay in their waiting area, though."

No further information was necessary to persuade the Defender and the duo rushed to the healers. Another healer was entering the room and the vikings saw a quick glimpse of Dagur. He was pacing like a madman and wringing his hands together, nervously. They wished that they could say something to provide comfort, but neither were they allowed in nor did they have anything comforting to say. Mala groaned in agony and one could argue that Dagur appeared more pained than she did. He knelt down and held her hand, providing her with something to squeeze. She accepted the gesture and grimaced from what was occurring. "You can beat this, Mala. You'll be good as new in just a few. Even better 'cause we'll have the baby here too." Dagur told her, trying to sound confident and he gave a smile that he hoped looked reassuring and not forced.

Mala tried to look at the king, but the room spun and nothing could come into focus. She had never felt so, physically, weak before and it concerned her. What if she did not survive? Her family needed her and she needed to be there for them. _"Battle and win."_ She kept repeating in her mind, nevertheless, her mind grew weary and wanted to rest. Rest sounded wonderful, although the queen knew that it would only be more challenging to deliver a baby while unconscious. No slumber for her. She would have to be awake and present for the entire process-no matter how unpleasant.

Some healers approached Dagur, "My King, may we speak with you?" one requested, timidly. The chief did not want to hear what they had to say, for he had an idea of what it would be. "I'm not leaving Mala's side. Whatever you have to say, say it quietly." he told, firmly. They conceded and cupped a hand over their mouths, moderately, "With the Queen's condition, there is a possibility that..." she sighed, "neither she **nor **the baby might survive." Dagur recalled the feeling he had experienced before that felt as though his heart were being mangled. That too involved Mala, but this was different. It would not be a mild separation, due to giving metal to an Armorwing, this was she and the child being in Valhalla, far sooner than their times should have been.

Dagur could not allow himself to believe that. Mala would pull through. As despair was about to settle in, an odd sense of peace came over him. The king could rationalize it in no way beyond Odin confirming what he had prayed for, Mala's and the baby's health. The healers were surprised, to say the least, at seeing his calm demeanor and kept caring to the chieftess. Dagur leaned down his head to her ear, speaking softly, "I know, I told you that you'd be fine, but that's not just wishful thinking. That's a **promise**. Don't think about anything other than the blessings you've received and the new one you're about to."

Through the frowns, a small smile graced Mala's features and she worked to steady her breaths. Half an hour passed and her breathing was more normal. The healers worked, diligently, in making sure that she was in a better state. Seeing that she was, they began, "All right, Chieftess, take some deep breaths for us." Mala was able to comply and then it was suggested that she push. "A little more." one viking instructed. Pain surged through her body, but it would not be the last sensation that she felt. There would be joyous times ahead of the queen in her family's life. Every step of the way, she was determined to be there.

"One more time." a healer told. Mala gave a final push and was rewarded by the sounds of a baby crying. This was music to the couple's-**parent's**-ears. The healers cleaned off the child and returned to the leaders, "It's a girl." they informed the pair. The two were engulfed in exultation and cuddled next to each other, both holding the child. The vikings went out to the waiting room, to fetch the new aunt and uncle. "You may come now." The two hurried over and beamed at seeing the trio alive and well. "Congratulations, Dagur." Heather said, giving him a rub on the shoulder. She would hug him, but he was still lying down next to the mother. "Have you decided on a name?" Throk inquired. The duo nodded, "Eerika." Mala said, serenely. "It means, 'ruling forever'." Dagur added. The two nuzzled their heads and kissed the child's face, happier than they ever had been in their lives.


	18. Official starts

Healthful precautions were proving benefitial as Mala recovered, rapidly, from giving birth. While she still needed to take it easy, the chieftess was capable of doing far more than most mothers, that soon after delivering. Every so often, she would convince Dagur that she was well enough to do the rounds for the island; however, for the time being, that was his department. The king checked the land as quickly and efficiently as vikingly possible, so that he could return home to check on his family. After a day of settling disputes, Dagur entered their hut.

Heather and Mala were talking as the queen rocked the enfant back and forth in her seat. Little Eerika was not asleep, although she was neither crying nor restless. The baby seemed to enjoy listening to her mother and aunt speak. Smiling, the two vikings greeted the chief. "And how are my three favorite ladies doing?" Dagur inquried. He walked over to Mala and kissed her, then bending down to kiss Eerika on the cheek. "We are all quite fine. How was everyone?" the queen asked.

Her husband slid into a chair, sighing, "There weren't too many problems, but there was an issue at the school. The students kept wanting to reenact the wars during their history classes. Considering how many battles ended with "And then they plunged their axes into the foe's heating heart", that **might **not be the best thing for a kid to imitate. They have to wait until they're actually in battle for all that fun."

The Berserker second-in-command shook her head, "Well, I wouldn't be surprised if this one is in battles before you know it. She never rests. Just watches and observes, though not always quietly. I'm looking forward to when she can talk. She'll probably have a lot of things to say." Eerika nuzzled against her mother's body and reached up, towards her father. "I think that she would like a switch." Mala noted, handing the child to Dagur. The king beamed, "I was hoping she would." Happily, he cradled the enfant. "No one can say that Eerika's lacking love." Heather told them, grinning.

Dagur made faces at Eerika, invoking a laugh from the baby. "That's not going to end anytime soon, is it?" Heather asked Mala, chuckling at her brother. "Not in the slightest, but I wouldn't have it any other way." Their child made a face too, although a foul odor accompanied the expression. Dagur's nose scrunched up and he eyed the queen, "Is this why you handed her over?" Mala feigned being hurt and laughed, "Actually no, it is not, however I am not above doing such a thing." The chief smirked and rose from his chair, starting to change the baby's diaper. "Have any plans for today, Sis? You know where **we'll** be." Heather shrugged, then tensed at hearing a horn sound off, "We aren't expecting anyone, right?"

The couple shook their heads, "I don't remember us inviting anybody." Dagur told her, finishing up the child wrapping and trying to peek out the door as Heather opened it. Mala rose to see who was arriving, "I shall be right back." she promised. She and Heather saw a ship approaching the harbors. The sisters-in-law went down to the docks, along with some armed vikings. On the vessel, its sailors raised their arms above their heads in a peaceful gesture. "We aren't here to attack. Our island was pillaged and yours was the only one nearby. **Please**, can we stay?" one viking pleaded.

Mala looked over the people. They were exhausted and injured, in desperate need of first aid and food. "Let us not make any permanent desicions yet, but we will allow you all to receive medical attention to treat your wounds." She turned to her sister and signalled Throk over to them, "Would you and Throk show the vikings to the hall? I'm going to tell Dagur about our new guests." Heather nodded and she went over to the newcomers with the Defender guard. Mala watched them, ensuring that there was no immediate danger, and returned to her hut. "Love, there are some vikings that claim to have been attacked. Throk and Heather are bringing them to get treated."

The chief lifted his eyes off of the child to glance at Mala, "How badly were they wounded? Could you tell if any were fatal?" His wife was unsure, "I cannot be certain of that. After they were taken care of, I thought that we should ask them some questions." Smiling, Dagur nodded, "I'm always up for some good interrogations. Heather can watch Eerika while we do that. She's been changed, cleaned, and is sleeping, soundly, now. I doubt that even Sleuther and Shattermaster's cries combined could wake her." he chuckled.

Heather knocked on the door, being told that she could enter. "Okay, they're all set. Everyone's been stitched up and is either resting or tending to their wounds." she informed the pair. "Are they conscious enough to be asked some questions?" Mala inquired. The Berserker bobbed her head, "Definitely. What are you going to ask?" The couple looked at each other, "Probably stuff like details about who attacked them, where they're from, you get the gist." Dagur stated, "Can you make sure that Eerika's okay when we go?"

A slight frown clouded over Heather's visage, "You don't believe them? They're probably terrified and in shock from being pillaged. Can't the questions wait?" The Berserker's tone was a layered one and, for a moment, Dagur did not understand why she seemed offended. At once, he recalled her first encounter with Alvin, "It can wait until morning. Let them try to get a good night rest." He gave Mala a meaningful look and she conceded, "Yes, that shall work." This statisfied Heather, moderately, "I'll be by to watch Eerika, then. For now, I'll make sure that everyone's settled." The couple nodded and she exited the hut.

Mala sighed and cradled her sleeping child, lovingly. Taking this opportunity, Dagur left the home to see who the new vikings were. Inconspicuously, he examined each person and went back to the hut, "They look normal, but that doesn't mean anything." he said. "Either way, they are too wary to be of much trouble this evening." Mala commented, "I only hope that Heather does not take issue when we begin to ask things of them. It is dangerous to allow unknown vikings on the island, especially with Eerika." The king walked near to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, "It is even more dangerous to come to our home with the intentions of harming someone." The duo kissed one another and hugged Eerika in between them.

The next morning, Dagur was already up and entertaining the baby with a silly song. She giggled and grinned at her father and turned to the sound of steps as her mother walked by. "Good morning." the queen greeted, smiling. Mala strode up to Dagur, kissed him, and kissed Eerika's forehead. The chieftess began to eat some of the breakfast that her husband had prepared, though more slowly than was her custom. "Is everything okay?" Dagur asked, rocking the baby in the cradle that he had carved for her in his spare time. "I just keep thinking about those vikings. I suppose, a part of me is feeling paranoid."

Dagur smirked, "And this is different because..." he dragged. Mala shoved his shoulder, playfully, "You know what I mean." The king chuckled at her, "Yeah, and I agree. Something feels off, but we'll get it figured out. Hopefully, Heather will be here soon." A hand rapped on their door and Dagur went to it, "Speak of the devil." he said. His sister rolled her eyes, smiling, "Okay, I've got everything covered here. You two go find out whatever it is that you're looking for." Mala joined the pair, "Thank you, Heather." she said, sincerely. "No problem." was the answer. Dagur gave the young lady a quick hug and headed out with Mala.

The young parents went to the medical center, where the people still were. They had been resting, however some were awake. "Hello." one saluted the pair. They reciprocated the greeting and commenced their business. "Would you mind clearing up a few questions for us?" Dagur asked. They shook their heads, "After you let us stay here, it'd be the least we can do." The duo sat down across from the vikings and Mala started, "From where do you hail?" "We're from a small island just to the East of the Northern Markets. Too close, honestly. That's how we ended up being attacked."

The chief's brow rose, "Who went to your island from there?" The other viking shuddered, "Hunters. They were looking for some more weapons and didn't want to pay for them. Just stole everything that we owned and trashed the place." Another viking stirred awake, hearing their conversation, "It was terrible. They attacked, mercilessly." Dagur and Mala side-eyed each other, "Were there any casualties?" the queen inquired. "We all barely made it out with our lives, but we did." they were told.

After asking a few more questions, the leaders returned to their hut. "I don't buy a word of it." Dagur stated, frowning. "Neither do I." Mala divulged. Heather glanced at them, "What did they say?" Her brother folded his arms across his chest, "Lies, mainly. Claimed that their island got attacked by hunters." Heather eyed him, curiously, "What's so inconceivable about that?" The chief leaned against a wall, upset, "**That **isn't. The inconceivable part is that-get this-**n****o one **died!" The Berserker second-in-command bit her lip, "There's no way that they wouldn't wipe the whole island off the face of the earth. They're too thorough and too ruthless for there to be **any** survivors, let alone the entire island surviving."

Mala nodded, "Exactly. If they are lying about that, they might have impure intentions on being here." Heather chimed in again, "Also, they tended to their own wounds, so they could have never even been injured. Throk and I thought that it was strange, but didn't say anything." The couple's frowns were deep and almost amusing in how similar they were. "It is not right to force them away from our island before we are sure, but to hesitate can be to resign our fates." the queen mentioned. A muffled cry took hold of their attention and they recognized it as Throk's.

Instinctively, Mala and Dagur looked to their child, the mother going over and holding her. Seeing that they were both all right, Dagur and Heather rushed out the hut and saw Throk with a bad gash on his left leg. He was surrounded by the vikings that had been in question. To say that he was outnumbered and in trouble would be to put it lightly. The siblings ran to his side, axes drawn. Dagur blocked a sword before it plunged into the Defender's stomach. Kicking the attacker, the other viking was sent flying into a wall. Heather disarmed another viking as her brother, furiously, dug a blade into a viking's throat.

Speedily, the group was taken out. Feeling a sudden surge of dread, Dagur noticed that only half of the vikings were present. He zoomed past Heather and Throk, going to his hut. Mala was holding Eerika close to her, a sword in her other hand. Across from them were twelve vikings, each with either a mace or club. "You can't attack us **and **keep the baby safe." one told, cruelly. Mala looked at her child. Eerika was not crying or anything. Even fear was not in her eyes, only determination. The queen admired the child's bravery and felt as it powered herself.

As a viking lunged at her, the chieftess side-stepped him and dove her sword into his torso. The person cried out and crashed to the floor. Another viking came up from behind and Mala kicked her legs from underneath her. Scrambling back to her feet, the viking got the Mala's blade dug into the her heart. Three attackers came up from the queen's left, two from her right, two from the front, and three from the back. A grunt sounded off and three vikings fell to the ground. Blood gushed out of their backs and Dagur stood over their lifeless bodies.

The chief lopped the heads off of some vikings and pushed his ax into the rest. Coughing, one started to laugh, scornfully, "Look at you two. Y-you..really think that we're the only hunters Th-that we're it?" With a final gasp, the viking died, leaving the parents in a distrubed state. Dagur and Mala hugged, holding each other tightly and securely. "Are you both okay?" the king asked. The queen nodded, "We are. She has quite the fighting spirit." she told, smiling. Her face engulfed itself in a worried expression, "What he said. You know what this means." The chief nodded, grimly, "Yes. It means that there are more hunters out there with grudges who'll be coming after this island. After us."


	19. Outbreak

The next few months flew by and it was almost Eerika's first birthday. Her parents were trying to set everything up and Dagur was gesturing to a scroll. "We could totally do this for her. Look! There's a little bludgeon right next to the course and everything." he beamed, excitedly, "She'd love it." Mala eyed the paper, "While it **is **tempting, I doubt that Eerika will recall very much of this birthday at all." The chief's smile never faltered, "Oh, she might not remember it the next day, but she could enjoy it as it's happening." That was even more tempting to Mala, but her thoughts were interrupted when a knock came on their door.

"Come in, Throk." Dagur called. The guard entered the hut, with a confused expression, "How did you know that it was me?" Smirking, the chief replied, "You have a certain knocking pattern. Very polite and unobtrusive. We almost have to strain to hear it." he chuckled. Mala smiled at her friend, "What can we do for you, Throk?" The Defender turned to his queen, "While few in numbers, there have been some illnesses related to the stomach as of late." Naturally, the couple moved towards their daughter, who was crawling around on a carpet. "How bad are the cases?" Dagur asked. "Nothing too much more than aches, but I wanted the two of you to be aware. The adults are relatively fine, however, several of the children are having a hard time keeping anything down or not being in excruciating pain."

Eerika stopped crawling and reached her arms upwards, making small noises to get her parents' attentions. Mala bent down to scoop her up, gently, and nuzzled her head, "There is a traditional hope amongst my family-a good omen, I suppose. If the child can speak-even just a word-by the end of their first year, they will have a slimmer chance of receiving a disease." The baby smiled happily at the three vikings, causing their hearts to melt. "Then I know what we'll be doing for as long as it takes." Dagur stated, "I had hoped that she would have been able to start speaking in her own time, but we don't have much of it." Throk looked at the family and saluted, "Heather and I shall keep track of the influenza and ensure that the island is in a fine state." he oathed. His lieges thanked him, whole-heartedly, and he exited the hut.

"Come now please, Eerika. Speak for us." Mala requested. She looked at her husband, "Perhaps, we should start with a one syllable word?" she inquired. He nodded in agreement, " Maybe 'Hi'." The chief moved towards his daughter and grinned at her, "Can you say 'hi' for us? Please?" The child did nothing more than smile brighter at her father. Dagur's face dropped, "You can do it, Eri. Hi. See? It's really easy. Hi." he repeated. Again, she did not reply. It became so pitiful that Dagur, gingerly, brought his hand to her face and tried to have her mouth the word. Amused, she grabbed his finger and giggled. The young parents sighed and Mala turned to the Defender king, "This is going to be a challenge."

Over the next few days, all that the leaders were doing was trying to get their child to speak. They were met with failure after failure. While not a particularly quiet baby, Eerika never spoke nor cried. She would make little sounds of contempt or laughs of joy, but nothing else. They were in another spout of the child's laughter when she had seen one of her father's many expressions. He started to smile, though it faded as her giggling ensued. The laugh was not nearly as long as his usually were, however, it still lasted past what was considered normal. The queen noticed that as well and especially his concealed look of horror. _"It is not so terrible at all, to me." _she mused. Despite what others thought, she rather liked her spouse's unique laugh. It was infectious to her and a part of her was glad that their child might have been inheriting it.

Before any of those encouraging ponderings could be voiced, a rapid knocking came. "Come in, Sis." Dagur called, still by Eerika and rocking her, slightly, in the crib. Heather entered the hut with a worried look on her face. "The outbreak is getting worse. People are dying from it now, but it's been so strange." she told. Mala's brow rose, "How has it been strange?" The Berserker plunked down into a chair, "Back in my old village, sicknesses that infected the stomach would make everyone ill within a matter of days. Sure, vikings are sick here, but it's all been at random. Families are taking care of each other and not catching whatever's going around. It doesn't make any sense. It's almost like...like-" Heather could not find the words that she wanted to say and Dagur did for her. "Like it's not contagious-something that illnesses like this tend to be."

"Could there be some new item on the island that is causing the issue?" Mala wondered, aloud, "If the vikings are stable enough to speak, we can ask them what they did differently than other days. Hopefully, we can find a common thread." Heather nodded, "I'll see what Throk and I can find." she promised. The second-in-command could distinguish the gratitude in her brother's and sister's eyes. She went to pursue her mission as they strove to complete theirs. The day raged on and the parents wrecked their brains, trying to find words that were not too difficult to pronounce and could invoke Eerika into speaking. "Life?" Mala offered, to no avail. She looked around the room for inspiration and saw Dagur doing a workout. It was one were he did a one-hand stand was reading a book-also looking for more words. "Odd." was the word that came to Mala's mind.

The chief rolled his eyes at the comment that he knew was directed at him, "Multitasking." he defended. His eyes shone, "Aha! Peace. Maybe she's like Brother Hiccup?" Dagur flipped back onto his feet, clapped the book shut, and went to the baby's side. "Peace." he reiterated. He had no more fortune in this than they had obtained for the entire duration of provoking speech. The Berserker ran a hand through his hair, exasperately, "War?" he suggested. Mala punched his arm, scoldingly. "What? As long as she says something-preferably not a swear-that's what counts." he told her. Mala conceded and Dagur brought his attention back to their daughter, "Can you say 'hurt'?" he asked, making a face at Mala. When no sound was uttered, he tried another one, "How about heal? Heal."

If Eerika could comprehend the gravity of the situation, she gave no indication. "Your name?" Mala asked, helplessly, "Eerika. Eerika." The child simply looked at her with big, innocent eyes. "Mama. Papa. Either or both just **something**. **Pl****ease**." Dagur pleaded. As he suppressed a roar of despair, Heather and Throk entered the home, finding no necessity for knocking. "There are no consistencies, my lieges." the guard informed, appearing very morose. Heather stood by him, "We've heard that they were eating nothing out of the ordinary and no one could really recall who they had gotten the food from." Her voice was choked with sorrow, "It's times like these that I wish we only had **one **trader instead of so many passing by."

If someone had just destroyed the island in front of the parents' eyes one could not have seen more misery than what they saw. "Then, it **could **be an illness." Mala rationed, turning ashen, "A plague sent by the ancients and gods, themselves." A tremor shook Dagur's knees as he stared at their child, so he bent down to rest on them. The next day was her birthday and she had not spoken a word. Of course, he could not be certain that Mala's superstition was accurate or not, but that hope was all that they could try to hold onto. "Mighty Odin," the father began, "if we've done something so wrong that the lives of our people must end, let us attempt to fix it-you know that I've tried-before it's too late for everyone. I beg you, please don't take our Eerika away." he prayed. The other three vikings lowered their own heads in his prayer and lifted some of their own.

"She has not lived long enough to bring grief to the gods. I ask that she be allowed to grow and that when she **does **anger you, you all show her mercy." Mala requested, on her knees next to the chief. Heather started next, "If this is your wrath, please show forgiveness. And if it isn't, let us find out what this threat is and be able to stop it." Finally, Throk spoke, "Please, do not punish the innocent or those seeking redemption, Odin. We have far too many quarrels on this earth for us to not even have you and your lineage on our sides." When the grim monologues were completed, they could think of nothing more to do other than try to get Eerika to speak still and to continue with the usual rounds for the island.

The Thorforsaken day came that was Eerika's first birthday. The leaders' household was as quiet as the child was. Blank looks were in the eyes of her parents, though they set out to be as strong as they could for her. Mala walked about, aimlessly, bumping into a few objects along her way. She eventually noticed that there was nothing to prepare for a meal. "I am going to buy some more food." the chieftess told. Dagur was caressing Eerika's head and glanced up at her mother, "Maybe I should go. You might fall into the ocean or something." he noted, having seen her absent-minded clumsiness. The Defender wanter to protest, although as she walked to grab some copper pieces, she collided with the table. "Very well. Thank you." she told, "Could you grab some trout?" Dagur gave a nod and a kiss to both she and Eerika before exiting.

While not uncoordinated, Dagur was having a difficult time focusing on things as much as he preferred to. He would have suggested that both Mala and he leave, that way they could have combined their strengths, but he would not have risked bringing Eerika out into the heart of a disease. Vaguely, he heard some greetings for him and he sent some nods in their general direction. The Berserker reached the trading post and his eyes traced over the objects that were being sold. He was about to have completely forgetten what Mala had asked for when he heard someone call to him in a way that implied they had many times before. "Hm?" he asked. Two traders were gesturing to their supply of food, "Can we interest you in anything?"

Dagur peeked at the fish and found the one that he was looking for, "Yes. I'll take three trouts, please." Contently, they handed them to him and he made the transaction. "Enjoy." one told, with a grin. The king returned to the hut and commenced preparing dinner. For Eerika, he diced it really finely-to the point of puree. When he was done, he and Mala made their plates and sat by the child. "Happy birthday, Eerika." they said, giving sad smiles. After Mala had lifted a spoon of food up to the baby's mouth, Eerika looked at it, skeptically. A bit of frowning commenced, then she swatted it away from her. "Maybe if she sees us eating it, she'll do the same." the queen offered. Neither parent had much of an appetite, but would pretend if that would encourage the child to eat. Exaggerately, they brought the fish to their mouths and stopped as a cry rang out. "No!" was the plea.

Dumbfounded, the two leaders stared wide eyed at the child. "Y-you spoke." Dagur awed, quietly. He blinked a few times and looked at Mala who was experiencing the same shock. Eerika was in a state of distress and her little face was scrunched up. Quickly, her parents recalled not only that she had spoken, but **what** she had. They looked down at the food, "Could the sicknesses be linked to this?" Mala wondered. The Berserker shrugged and-as much as he wanted to stay and leap for joy at their daughter speaking-knew that if the food were the problem, they should eradicate it, immediately. There was a small section of water on the east side of the island that had carnivorous fish. If they ate the food and died, the vikings would have their answer.

Briskly, Dagur went to the ocean and dropped a piece of fish into the water. The fish scarfed down the food, like the cannibals that they were. Crossing his arms, he waited for the response and they floated to the surface on their backs. The chief rushed into the village and saw his sister and Throk. "Tell the others not to eat any of the food they've bought until we test it." he told. They nodded and ran to the center of the island where the platform was. Dagur went back to the trading post and purchased a few more items, some from the same two vikings and others from the rest. He repeated the experiment and had mixed results. Only the food that came from the prior pair caused an adverse reaction. Rage threatened to enter the Berserker's body, but he strove to remain hopeful. _"Maybe it's bad stock. I'll find out."_

Dagur returned to the hut, "Two of the traders have the spoiled food. Do you think that it's intentional and we have to kill them, or that it's an accident? Either way, they have to go." he told the queen. Mala was, visibly, in thought, "I think that we should confront them about it and see what they do." She looked at her husband and could see that he was infuriated, despite not wanting to show it. "Perhaps, I should take care of this, Love." she recommended. Dagur was biting his lip and stopped as he tasted something tart, "Maybe you're right." he consented, "I don't think that I could get the question out without running a knife through them. They're the ones with matching green leathers." Mala rose to leave and halted by the door, "I shall bring this along." she told, sheathing her sword.

The Defender walked to the trading posts and found the vikings in question. "How long have you been selling items here?" she inquired. "All week, I guess." the woman trader answered. "There is a problem with your supply." Mala stated, matter-of-factly. They eyed her, "How so?" "It's causing viking to become ill." she replied. The traders glanced at each other, "Oh? I'm certain that we have the best stock." Mala's gaze hardened, "I can assure you that you do not. It has caused deaths along with the sicknesses." The lack of caring on the faces of the vikings made the Defender's blood boil. Her hands balled into fists, "I will have to ask you both to leave this island." They folded their arms over their chests and scowled, "We aren't done yet." The queen glared, "Done with what?" she asked, through gritted teeth. "Taking down this island."

Instantaneously, the trader man blew a dart at Mala. She moved just in time to avoid it and drew her weapon. The traders brought out their own weapons, an ax and mace. They clashed metal with the queen and Mala slashed their arms, making them drop the blades. In a panic, they looked at each other, "Don't kill us!" one pleaded, "We have a-" "Shut it!" the other hissed and glared at the Defender, "Do your worst. We don't fear death." Some of Mala wanted to spare them, just to see what they were talking about, but the dangers that they carried were too vast. She lopped both of their heads off in a clean slice and started to dispose of the toxic food.

Later that day, Mala and Dagur were thinking of how to deal with the incoming traders. "I don't think that having only one is a good idea either. Wouldn't want a 'Johann' situation. I guess, we could just keep testing it all out, but we have to make sure that no one gets lazy and stops." Dagur told. Mala nodded in agreement and smiled at Eerika. Quietly, the baby kept repeating "no" in a musical way. Happily, the child played with her mother's hair and then reached for Dagur to do the same with his. She toyed with the red play thing, in full joy. The parents laughed at this, with her father trying to cut his down to a shorter length. Again, the queen noticed, however, she did not bring it up. There would be more things to worry about in the future, but for the time being, they would just enjoy the rest of Eerika's birthday.


	20. Training

Several years passed and there had been no attacks from any hunter, barring some minor skirmishes with more traders having to be executed after the tests proved positive for poison in their supplies. Nothing serious occurred, though and the vikings were able to live without a chronic fear. The leaders and seconds-in-commands were watching as Eerika grew from an infant into a little girl. While still not even near double digits, you could tell that the viking had her parents' features. Eerika had her mother's nose and height, with her already being taller than the other children her age; her father's expressive face and hair type, making her locks long and fuller as opposed to most other vikings; and a combination of her parents' green eye color and hair colors, making the latter for her an almost orang-ish hue.

Eerika was observing her parents doing a spar and sat in awe of them. When they were complete, she rushed over to them, "Mommy, Daddy, can you teach me how to do that stuff?" she asked, hopefully. The couple looked at each other and smiled. "I do not see why you should not start learning how to defend yourself." Mala stated as Dagur hurried off to their room. "What is Daddy doing?" Eerika inquired, peeking past the queen to follow the king's path. "He has something for you." her mother told. Excitedly, Dagur returned and placed down a plethera small, wooden weapons, the perfect sizes for their daughter. While Eerika's mouth gaped, she kept looking between the arsenal and her parents. Speedily, she ran over and hugged her father, "Thanks, Daddy!" she said, with gratitude and surprise both evident in her voice. She tilted her head to the side, "How'd you know that I was going to ask?"

Dagur smiled, "When I was your age, I couldn't wait to start learning how to fight and survive on my own. I wasn't **sure **if you'd be the same, but I wanted to take it into account. Now," he began, bending down into his knees and getting eye level with Eerika, "do you want to just learn how to fight right now, or learn how to be a survivalist? We'll teach you both eventually, however, it's your call on learning sooner." The small viking tapped her chin, pensively, "What's the difference?" she asked. Mala got down with them, "Fighting, by itself, would teach you how to do hand-to-hand combat, use weaponry, and to utilize your environment in battle. Becoming a survivalist would include learning how to best implement plants, learn about dragons, and how to deal with various terrains." The child's brow furrowed, slightly, "Can I do both?" Her parents grinned at the request, "Of course."

The chief balled his hand into a fist and showed it to Eerika. She imitated the motion and he adjusted it accordingly. "You have to keep your thumb back and wrist in a straight line. Otherwise, the same force that you use to attack someone will hurt you too." Dagur informed her. She nodded and took the advice, making nice fists. Mala rose from the ground and got into a fighting stance, "Next, you have to make sure that your punches have a certain force behind them. They cannot come from your shoulder and are often best when derived from a step." She demonstrated by punching in the air, a sharp whipping sound following. Again, Eerika mimicked what she was being taught. Mala knelt down and wiggled her, moderately, "You are too tense. It must flow more naturally. Just step into the punch." The young one repeated the motion and it was improved, though still would need more practice-as was expected.

The parents began rudimentary lessons in kicking and blocking. Their daughter was doing very well and they soon moved on to the next subject, although promised that they would work more on the combat in days to come. Dagur grabbed a large book off of a shelf and sat down, then lifted Eerika onto his knee. As he bounced her up and down, provoking giggles, he flipped through the pages and showed her the pictures that it had to offer. "This is Fire Fern. You do **not **want to touch it. It's earned that name, but you can use a blade or basically anything that isn't direct contact with your skin." After receiving a nod, he turned the page, "You have your Oleanders. These are a tricky bunch. Blue is harmful to dragons, purple is used for the antidote to another plant that I'll tell you about-also for dragons-and red, as far as I know, doesn't do much." Dagur looked through more of the book until finding for what he was looking.

"Aha! And here is what the purple one helps with. Dragon Root. You see this?" Eerika nodded, understandably. "If you see this and a dragon near it, steer clear." Dagur told, "They get so attracted to it that they can't think clearly and might hurt you. Some people have laced the tips of arrows with it to take down dragons easier. If the reptile's shot, it doesn't attack anybody, just passes out." Eerika's face scrunched up, "Who would shoot the dragons?" The queen was sitting across from them and answered, "Dragon hunters use those and many other weapons to capture dragons." Her daughter's mouth dropped in shock, "The poor dragons." she said, sadly, "That won't happen to Shattermaster, Strykie, or Windshear, will it?" Concern was written on her face and intertwined with her voice. Mala hugged Eerika, assuringly, "While we cannot promise that others will not attempt harm, we will do the best in our abilities to protect our dragons." Eerika was mildly satisfied with this and went back to looking over the book.

At dinner, she kept thinking about the rest of the island's children. "When do all the other kids learn about this?" she asked the leaders. "It's not manditory until a viking reaches seven years old. Then, they are old enough to handle the information and are at risk of danger, should something occur and they are unprepared. Some more might be like you, though we cannot be certain." Mala answered. Shaking her head, Eerika took a bite of some chicken, "I do not understand who would want to wait that long." She happily continued to eat the Berserker food, "Will I learn how to make stuff like this too?" Dagur bobbed his head in replying, "Sure will. Your mom and I will teach you what we know and as you grow, you'll learn things that we haven't even considered before." Eerika beamed at that, thoughts of all the things that she would learn circulating around her head and exciting her beyond belief.

The next day, as soon as the island rounds were made, the family proceeded with the lessons. "Now **you **tell me which ones they are." Dagur instructed, gesturing to a line up of weaponry. Eerika looked at them and tapped her foot, thinking. "That one's a mace, that's an swor-no-ax, **that's** a sword, a club, and a crossbow." she said. With much anticipation, she watched her father's face for the slightest trace of disappointment. Seeing none and only pride, she grinned before he could even tell her that she had been correct. "You could be quite the weapon's expert, if you wanted to, Eri." the king told her, instinctively laughing and giving her a hug. She beamed and mimicked the cackle, sounding too much like him for his own comfort. Subtly, Dagur stopped laughing and showed the young girl the various types of these weapons. They had almost finished when Eerika looked around the room, in search of something.

"What are you looking for?" Dagur asked, also looking around by this point. Eerika still glanced about, "Your daggers. You didn't tell me about those yet and I don't see any in here." The chief smirked and took out the blades. With each one, Eri's eyes widened larger and larger. This happened until he stopped at fifteen, not wanting her peepers to pop out of their sockets. "The key to knives, Eri, is that you can hide them. The other weapons are great too, but there aren't too many places you can keep a bludgeon without drawing attention to it. With blades, you can hide them practically anywhere and I always do." The small viking fiddled with the knives, intrigued, "But how'd you get so many on you? They are really sharp. Would it not hurt?" Dagur grinned, "It takes adjustments, but afterwards, you can find places that don't put the ends on you and you'll be fine." Smiling, Eerika handed them back to her father, trying to figure out how he had that many on him.

Dagur stroked his beard, pondering over something. _"Should I teach her how to store them now? No, I'll wait until she's a little bit older. That way, she can keep it a secret. She might tell the first person she sees, if she knows right now." _"And now it's time to get back to the survivalist part." he informed the young viking.The two left the hut and met up with Mala at the stables. Happily, Eerika rushed over and hugged her mother and the dragons. Shattermaster wagged his tail at seeing her while Sleuther did a flip in the air. The girl giggled and petted their heads, "Is Windshear with Aunty?" she inquired. Mala nodded, "Yes, they are both doing a patrol around the island. Are you ready to for us to teach you about dragons, Eerika?" Vigorously, she bobbed her head, "Yes please." The trio went, first, to Shattermaster. "Gronckles are...an interesting breed." Mala began, "They are of the boulder class and appear to be rather slow, however, can be agile, when given the right training and incentive."

"They spew lava, which can be molded into Gronckle iron or to fill up breaks in the earth when it cools." the chieftess said, "One of the most impressive things is that they are very sturdy dragons. They can break through dragon-proof areas by using momentum and their tails." Eerika looked at Shattermaster, "But why can he not fly for long periods of time anymore?" Dagur patted his friend's head, "Because he got injured while we were going after some dragon hunters. That was the same day we met Strykie too." "Triple Strykes have three different poisons, one in each of their tails." Mala stated, "They are extremely strong and durable too. Sleuther has taken a plasma blast before as well as and multiple, direct blasts-from a dragon that has taken down others with one-and still emerged all right. When your aunt and Windshear were in trouble, he was even able to lift them and a cage out of the water." Being in awe of Strykie, Eerika looked at him with admiration.

Later that day, the three went to check on a building that was being redone. The vikings had voted on updating the old color and wanted to fix up the wall while they were at it. Throk and Heather were supervising as the people set it back into place and the royals approached them. "Hi, Aunty. Hello, Uncle." Eerika greeted, hugging both of the vikings. "Everything seems to be going fine. Is it?" Mala asked. "Sure is." Heather told her sister and smiled down at her niece, "We've gotten this up in record time." Throk's face clouded over, "Though, perhaps we should have taken more time. It **is** a very large wall and, should it collapse, it would cause a lot of damage." Dagur inspected the wall and frowned, "You're right, Throk." Quickly, the Berserker went over and held the wall in place, "Secure the upper right corner." he ordered. The vikings followed his command and fixed what they had missed. Wiggling it moderately, he was comfortable enough to let go.

Eerika looked at her father, "How did you know that it was too loose?" she asked, curiously. "When you're a leader, you have to make sure that your people are safe. That means paying extra close attention to things and being willing to put their needs above your own. Remember that as you become a ruler, yourself." he suggested, kindly. Eerika had been taking mental notes all day and would add that to them. The lessons ended for the time being and their week went on like this. Eerika was loving to learn and her parents were loving to teach. It was the perfect symbiotic relationship for them all. Nothing was getting any of them down, not even one of Dagur's horrific nightmares. Well, **maybe** they were succeeding in concerning him.

He kept seeing their daughter in precarious situations, all from which he and Mala were unable to protect her. He despised that because he knew, sooner or later, she would have to handle something alone. All that they could do was teach her as much as they could, as soon as they could. He did not want to overbear her with things that she might not understand, but some of him was paranoid that the next day might not come and it would have been their fault for not preparing her. The chief sat at a table, drinking some mead, when he sensed someone getting up from bed. His brow rose as he saw Eerika. "What are you doing up, Eri? It's bedtime." The girl nearly jumped out of her skin at hearing his voice, having not known that he was out there. "I was going to grab an apple." she said. Dagur made a face, "At **this **hour?" She nodded, "I keep thinking about all the fighting and survivaling and leading. Since I couldn't sleep, I decided to grab a snack."

Dagur sighed and motioned for her to come over to the table with him, after she grabbed some fruit, "We're not overwhelming you, are we?" he inquired. Eerika shook her head, fervently, "No! I love it. It's just that I keep thinking about what you said early this week. About leaders putting others first. Does that mean that if there's danger, we face it instead of our people?" The chief rubbed the back of his neck, "If there's a way to avoid **anyone **being in serious danger, that's the first plan to try, but if there isn't, then yeah, it's our responsibility. Now, I don't want you running around here, looking for somebody to save just yet, though. That's your mommy's and my job to keep you and the island safe, okay?" The girl, reluctantly, nodded, "Okay, Daddy." Seeing her yawn, Dagur's eyes twinkled and he asked, "Do you want to hear a bedtime story?" Eerika's face lit up, "All right." They rose from the table and headed to her room, "Go brush your teeth again and I'll tell you." he instructed.

Obligingly, Eerika went to clean her teeth as her father thought over some stories to tell. _"She'll be grown so soon. Before I know it, she'll be leading the island into victories and having her own stories of adventure and danger.__" _He sighed heavily, _"I'm sure that she will be amazing when that time comes, but for now, I just want her to be happy, safe, and our babygirl." _Eerika came back out of the washroom and plopped down on her head, "I'm ready." she told, happily. Dagur chuckled, quietly, and began.


	21. First days

Three years went by and Eerika had continued her studies with her parents. Even considering this, she was finally at the age that she could learn in the training arena with the other students. She had gone in there before to do a few things, but her parents had not wanted her to train without their guidance and while being around so many inexperienced youths when she was smaller. Since she was seven, they were confident in not only that they had taught her enough to be ready for the classes, but that she was also large enough to not accidentally get hurt by one of her fellow trainees. Of course, this did not mean that they would simply send her out and see her when she returned. They would be there to watch as she had her first non-them teachers.

The family sat down for dinner and could feel the excitement emanating off of Eerika. She smiled wider with every passing second as she thought more about the lessons. "Next week is going to be really cool." she declared, "It **will **be weird to be around so many other kids, though." Mala grinned, "I am sure that you will enjoy yourself. Kari and Anderson are very good trainers." Tapping her chin, Eerika looked at her parents, "I wonder if they teach combat or survival tactics. Do they do both?" Dagur swayed his hand front to back, "Together, they do. Anderson teaches survivalist tricks and Kari teaches combat. That's why you'll almost always see those two around each other. Especially when a session is about to start." The youngest of them could not contain her jubilation, "This is going to be so fun!" she exclaimed, laughing. Her father kept his expression the same, not letting her see his concern.

"What do you think they will teach me first? I, also, do not know which instructor will begin. Do they alternate or is there always one that starts?" Eerika inquired. "I believe that they alternate." the queen informed her, "Many a time, I have gone down to ensure that the students were learning all that they should. I've done this at varying times and have seen both of them in charge at times inconsistent with one beginning at a certain point, daily." Eerika looked at her parents with playful skepticism, "And are you **certain **that they will not show me any particular favor, due to our relation?" Despite his better judgment, Dagur laughed, "We promise that we told them 'No special treatment'. How you do will be up to you; however, if you need help, Eri, we'll do our best to provide it." He raised his right hand in an oath-like way, making Eerika giggle, "Thank you." she told them.

That night after Eerika went to bed, her parents found that they could not stop thinking about her training either. "Do you think that we have taught her enough to be prepared?" Mala inquired, worriedly. "I think so." her husband answered, "I'm more concerned about her interactions with the other students." Curious, Mala went over to him, "Why is that?" She could see the worry in Dagur's eyes as he replied, "I can't speak definitively on Defenders, but I know that Berserkers have a tendency to mistreat anything or any**one **that they don't understand. I just don't want her to get hurt out there." The chieftess's face mirrored that of the chief's, "Sadly, she will have to face adversity eventually in life. There is little we can do to shield her from the inevitability of that. Though, as you told her, we will do our best to be there when we are needed." Sighing, resignfully, Dagur rose to give Mala a kiss and a smile, "Thanks, Malapoo." The two retired with anxious ponderings in their heads and stress in their hearts.

The week seemed to fly by and before they knew it, Eerika would be having her first day of training the subsequent morning. "Remember, Mala and I won't be doing the rounds tomorrow." Dagur reminded Heather. She nodded, "Yes, I'm pretty sure that this is the twelfth time you've mentioned it to either Throk or myself." The king blushed, mildly, "Sorry. I guess I'm just nervous for Eri." Putting an assuring hand on his shoulder, Heather grinned, "From what I've heard, a lot of parents get concerned over how their kids do. Eerika will be fine. Even if she doesn't get along with some of the other students, you and Mala have taught her not to worry what others think. She'll be fine, Brother. I'm sure of it." Dagur's brows furrowed, "What if she starts laughing?" The question had taken Heather off guard and she pulled back, "What?" Beginning to pace, he answered, "She might start laughing and who knows where it'll go from there?"

The younger Berserker looked confused, "Why would she just start laughing? Kari and Anderson aren't particularly stiff, but they aren't really funny either." Dagur, dramatically, put the back of his hand to his forehead, "She's got my laugh and I've never needed a real **reason **to start. It's more of a bad habit than an actual response to anything." Heather sighed, "True, but she also has Mala's appropriate timing for laughing...most of the time, anyway. I don't think that she'll have that trouble in class." Dagur slumped down in a chair, "I sure hope not." Just to further the king's concerns, the brother and sister heard a little laugh that could have been mistaken as maniacal. A moment later, Dagur let out a moan of despair, "Our babygirl's going to seem crazy." he lamented. As much as Heather wanted to deny what he was saying, it was plausible that her niece would indeed seem off, "Well, at least she has someone who will under..." she trailed off as she realized the sentence's conclusion would have only made things worse.

Meanwhile, Mala and Eerika were practicing some sword moves. "You need to keep the movement in a straight line. Otherwise, you won't get a clean cut." the chieftess told. Eerika nodded and attempted to make the correct modifications. "How do you not accidentally slice downwards?" she inquired. While the young girl did it again, Mala examined, closely, "You might be trying to get too fancy a slash. Remember that the execution of the motion is more important than the aesthetic appeal. Not overthinking things is key." Mala could see the wheels spinning in her daughter's head and she stopped her before she could try once more, "You are about to again." Eerika eyed the sword, sadly, "How do I not overthink it? It needs to be as graceful and lethal as the way you and Daddy slice. I don't have much time. It will only be a few hours before tomorrow." she said, in dismay. Mala gave her a reassuring smile, "And you have trained as much as you could to prepare. As long as you do your best, you will do fine."

Eerika was doubtful, "What if I still mess up and fail the class?" Mala began to put the weapons up, "It is unlikely that you would fail, but even if you did, we would only help you learn what was so difficult prior." Still, Eerika was unconvinced and she polished off some of her punches, "Are these fast enough? Perhaps, they need to have more force behind them." She kept an eye on the sky as she trained and breathed, heavily, "And now, it is even getting late. I should probably go and get some rest so that I will be ready for tomorrow." Mala could say nothing to calm ner nerves and only was able to hug her back. "Goodnight, Mommy. Love you." "Love you too, Eerika." The child and went inside the hut. "Goodnight." she told the two. She hugged Heather, "Love you, Aunty." and then Dagur, "Love you, Daddy." The chief hugged her back, "Love you too, Eri. Sleep well." With a final wave, she went to her room.

The following day, the family left the home to venture to the training arena. It felt like such a long walk and the parents strove to smile as convincingly as they could for Eerika. "Have fun." The leaders suggested, almost awkwardly. They gave the young viking one last hug before she went inside. Punctuality was vital for trio and no one else had arrived yet. Eerika liked that fact and she trained while waiting for the rest to come. The instructors were the seconds to come to the scene and they smiled, warmly. "Hello. Nice to know that at least **one **of our trainees is early. I'm Kari." the Berserker said. Her dark hair was pulled back in a functional braid. A Defender stepped up, "And I am Anderson." He wore the traditional Defender garb and started arranging his books. "As soon as the others arrive, we will begin." Kari stated. The student offered her hand to them, "I am Eerika. It's nice to meet you." They accepted the hand and grinned.

A small group of vikings entered, some more quickly than others. Kari clapped her hands together, "Okay, let's begin. Line up." The kids got into a straight line and stood at attention. "Now, the first thing to do is make sure that you have the correct forms. You need to know how to hold your fists, stand, and block." she told. This part went slightly slower than Eerika would have preferred, especially since she had already known how to do it, but she stayed outwardly patient. "No, you need to keep your weight balanced." Kari told another child. Eerika restrained herself from sighing, _"Why do they not understand how to do this? It didn't take me **this **long, did it? I hope it didn't."_ Eventually, they got to actual attacks-which seemed to take even longer than the defenses._ "I am sure that things will go faster as the classes progress. We just need to wait until everyone has learned what they're trying to show us. No matter how easy it is."_ She tried to stay positive, but was feeling boredom creep into her brain like an insect.

The entire day's class dragged on like this. Unfortunately, there was the same problem with the survivalist training portion of the day. The leaders side-eyed each other as they sensed their daughter's ennui. At that moment, they thanked Thor that Eerika had been given her mother's patience. When it all ended, Eerika went up and thanked the trainers, politely. As she returned to her parents, she made a frowny face. "That was...unique." she told them, once they were back at their hut. "It should get better when the others catch up to what you know. When you are all on the same page, you'll be able to start learning new information. Also, they might give you some good advice on what we have gone over." Mala stated, hopefully. Giving a small nod, Eerika went to go over what her parents had taught her again. "I need **some **challenge today." she informed them.

The next day, the family went to attend their duties again. "Are you sure that you're okay with us not being there?" Dagur asked Eerika. She nodded, "Uh-huh. I probably won't be doing anything that you haven't taught me already, so I would feel bad if it kept you two from something interesting." The chief gave her a kiss on the forehead, "You're interesting enough to overcompensate." He faked a yawn, earning a playful push. They said their goodbyes for the time being and Eerika resumed her place as the first one at the training arena again. The viking began to do a few cartwheels to spend the time. Balancing against the arena wall, she did a hand stand. After she heard the teachers approaching, she did a flip back to her feet. "Hello." she greeted. They returned the salutation and set up their stations. This time, the other students came less in a group and more staggered. Some arrived on time while others were inconsiderately late.

_"Nothing like showing up an hour in."_ Eerika thought, annoyed. The students only demonstrated their lackadaisical mien moreso by whispering to one a other for the classes' duration. "Will Anderson not shut up about the Terrible Terrors? They're only the weakest dragons in existence." one snarked. _"How can they be so disrespectful?" _Eerika wondered, appalled. She tried to ignore them as they continued. Later on, from the corner of her eye, she could see another viking struggling with a jump kick. Everytime the Defender child attempted, she almost fell, so she jumped lower and lower each try. "And that kid could not be less agile if she were an Eruptodon." they chucked. While they spoke about the struggling student, their voices raised slightly so that she could hear them. A pink tint went over the kid's face and she stopped, trying to figure out what she was doing wrong. "And she's a **quitter** too!" the students said, once the instructors had turned their backs.

The Defender adjusted her hood to cover her face. "Hey, we're alltrying to learn. At least, **she's** actually paying attention." Eerika told the bullies. "Yeah." someone else chimed in, "With as much as you all keep talking, you probably haven't learned anything." This kid was a dark-haired Berserker. "Of course **you're **defending her." a tormentor snapped back at him, "You are not getting more than an inch off the ground either." By this point, the teachers were over there, glaring. "What's going on over here?" Kari questioned, arms crossed. The bullies spoke first, "Those three started making fun of us, Ms. Kari." one said, innocently. Eerika scowled at them, sickened, "That is not what happened. We were just trying to mind our businesses when they began talking badly about her." she gestured to the Defender. The instructors glanced between the students and it took little to convince them, "Considering how much we heard you speaking, I am prone to believe that **you **all are the ones who are the instigators." Anderson told the bullies.

The unkind students looked at him, dumbfounded, "What?' one asked. Kari laughed, "Come on, you can't possibly think that we didn't notice you this whole time." Anderson smirked, "But it is not our job to enforce that you pay attention. Only to give you the information that we have learned. You might appreciate it, should you take the time to notice." Before the students could complain more, the teachers spoke again, "However, it is one thing to ruin your own experience, but to ruin someone else's is worse. We don't condone bullying in our classes. That'll make you have to stay late for the rest of this week." This was already the end of the day, so the students that were not in trouble could enjoy the freedom of leaving. Eerika thanked the teachers and exited with the rest. As they left the premises, the Defender began, "Thank you-both of you-for what you did." Eerika smiled, "No problem. I'm Eerika." "I am Xanthe." the Defender told. "And I'm Mathias." said the Berserker.

"Well, I've been doing combat training for a little while now. I'm far from great, but I could give you two some pointers for a few of the moves. If you want, of course." Eerika offered. The two were intrigued, "That sounds fun. I'm getting sick of messing them up." Mathias told her. Xanthe nodded, "I like the sound of that as well. I have to get back home, now, altough I'll see you both tomorrow. Have a good night." she called, waving behind her. "Bye." the two echoed. "I have to go too. Looking forward to tomorrow, though." Mathias beamed, "Night, Eerika." He left and Eerika returned to her hut. Happily, she entered and was met with her parents. "Okay, **today** was fun. Or, at least tonight was." The leaders looked at her, "What happened?" Mala asked. Their daughter kept grinning widely, "I met two vikings, Xanthe and Mathias. I'm going to help them execute some of the combat moves better. They could kind of use the extra practice." Her parents smiled, "Sounds great, Eri." Dagur told. "If this continues, it could be pretty cool. Who knows?" Eerika grinned, "There might finally be a fun part of these classes."


	22. Learning the Ropes

Once Eerika was in bed, her parents breathed sighs of relief. Dagur had an enormous smile on his face and engulfed Mala in a hug. "She's enjoying herself." he whispered, in moderate disbelief. The queen grinned back, "And as she begins to learn more in the classes, she will enjoy them as well." Teasingly, the Berserker puffed up, "Well now, let's not be so sure that she'll learn anything new, soon. We **have **taught her a lot, after all. She probably is years ahead of the other kids." Chuckling, the chieftess shook her head and caressed Dagur's cheek. "Whatever it might take to ensure her confidence." she told. "Always." the king agreed. The two shared a kiss and after a bit more time, the leaders retired.

The following day, training was again boring. Fortunately, Eerika had enough excitement for the impending activities to sustain her for the time being. No words were uttered this time in class, but harsh glares could be felt. The young viking was entirely unfazed by the looks and continued on with what she was learning. Along with doing that, she observed what Mathias and Xanthe were doing. _"He's not in a stance that allows proper balance. That might be why his punches look so odd." _Eerika thought, _"And Xanthe can't get the timing right for that kick."_ Even considering the two's lack of coordination and experience in combat, a point came in that portion of class where none of the other students could accomplish a task. It was a matter of aim and required the vikings to throw darts into targets which were a nice few yards away. Darts were flung to the left, right, bottom, and top of the poor, unused targets. Eerika stared at one that was in front of her. She tried to line up the dart and took a deep breath. _"I have seen Daddy throw knives everywhere and never miss. Surely, I can do the same."_

Having second guessed the last line up, Eerika realigned the dart with the target once more. For many a moment, she stood attempting to perfect the shot. _"It just needs to hit the middle. That shouldn't be too hard."_ Just as she began to think about as many outcomes for the various ways she could toss it, she mentally scolded herself. _"Mommy said to **not **overthink things. Daddy just throws them anyway."_ She took a breath as deep as her unwillingness to let her lungs expand would allow. The viking moved her arm and released the dart, chagrin settling in. "Darn it." she said, quietly. While the dart did more than the rest by actually hitting the target, it did not hit the center-which was what Ms. Kari had wanted. Eerika took out another dart and completely forgot about not over analyzing what she was doing. She missed again and it got worse the more frustrated she became. So badly, the child just wanted to roar, but decided against it. _"I suppose that I will not be aiding Xanthe and Mathias with their throwing skills."_ she mused, bitterly.

From the corner of her eye, Eerika could see the smug smiles of the bullying students. She pretended to not see them and kept trying until they were about to start another task. Flips were the next exercises with combat. Ms. Kari wanted to make sure that the trainees would be agile enough to evade enemies along with strong enough to incapacitate them. This was what they ended on and a certain Defender/Berserker viking was glad about that fact. She liked to end things on a good note whenever the option arose. Mr. Anderson was up afterwards and he spoke on a lot of plants. Not too much was news to Eerika, though, as he went on about Fire Fern and Poison Oak. Admittedly, Eerika was mildly uncomfortable with how interested the antagonizers looked with that information. _"Because exactly what they need is toxin shrubbery."_ she thought. Some of what Mr. Anderson was saying was new, however. He knew a great deal about Willow Bark and its medicinal purposes. Eerika had no idea that it could be used as teas as well as balms.

The class concluded with Mr. Anderson talking about Dragon Nip and Dragon Root. Happily, Eerika thanked the two instructors and began to leave with the others. The bullies tried to sneak out too, but were seen. "Not so fast." Ms. Kari called, "Get back here." They stopped, scowled at the trio, and pivoted to go back. Dragging their feet, they returned to the arena. When the teachers had turned their backs, the bullies put their pointer fingers to their throats and moved them from the left to right. Eerika just eyed them, blandly, and kept walking. Mathias and Xanthe hurried after her, appearing less confident. "You know, they won't be stuck after class forever. It is only this week." Mathias reminded Eerika. She nodded, "I know that, but it makes little difference to me." A bright smile came on her face, "Are you two ready? What do you want to practice first?" Xanthe tapped her chin and replied, "Would you mind if we started with the jump kicks?" Eerika smiled, good-naturedly, "Not at all. I was hoping that you'd say that."

The group went to Eerika's hut, since she had the training area already set up for them. "Hold on one second. I'm going to let my parents know that I am back." she told the others. After going in, Eerika greeted the leaders. "The two vikings that I'm going to tutor are here. Would you like to meet them?" she inquired. "We'd love to!" Dagur told, excitedly. The family exited and the two students' eyes widened. Mathias clapped his hands together and grinned, "I **knew **that I had heard your name before, Eerika." The adults gave warm smiles, "It is nice to meet you." Mala stated. Eerika introduced them, "This is Xanthe and that's Mathias." The aforementioned Defender bowed while the Berserker saluted. Flicking their wrists, the leaders stopped them. "That's not necessary." Dagur told the two. Hesitantly, they halted. With the two kids not knowing what to do or say, Mala spoke, "Well, we shall leave you three to your training." the queen informed them, "If you need anything, let us know." The parents went back inside the hut, being only slightly visible as they watched from the doorway.

At once, Xanthe and Mathias started trying to execute the movements. After a few tries, Eerika motioned for them to stop. "Okay, I think that you, Mathias, are trying to kick on the way down; and you, Xanthe, are doing the opposite. Neither way will let you have enough time to finish the kick nor get high enough height. Right as you reach the zenith, you need to kick." She did a demonstration and they tried again. "How was that?" Xanthe asked, hopefully. Eerika grinned, widely, and gave the two high fives. "Much better!" she laughed. As it lingered, the others began to glance at each other. "Do you want to work on stances?" Eerika inquired, having stopped her laughter abruptly. She noticed the looks from the two and tilted her head, "What is the matter?" Mathias opened his mouth to speak, but closed it momentarily, "Nothing. Sure, that sounds great." He and Xanthe got into their best stances. The Defender's was good, however, Mathias's needed to be wider. Eerika helped him modify it and then they did some punches. With the proper form, the attacks were far stronger and sturdier.

"So, what is your favorite weapon?" Xanthe asked the others, as they were working with some swords. "I'm not sure." Mathias started, "Maybe axes. What about you two?" Eerika fiddled with the end of the blade, "I think, mine would be knives. They can do a lot of damage and can be hidden pretty well." an ornery grin covered her face, "**Plus**, the precision they have lets you slice really accurately." The other kids nodded, "Very true, but I prefer the length of swords." Xanthe divulged. "Now, what kinds of dragons are your favorites?" Mathias interrogated. Eerika did a move with the sword, "Night Furies are really cool. It is just a shame that there is only one of them still left." Mathias clanged metal with her by using his weapon, "Yeah, it'd be great if there were more. Of course, you didn't say what your **favorite **was." he pressed. "I like a lot of different kinds. Especially Triple Strykes and Gronckles." The other two chuckled, "What?" Xanthe inquired, "Why Gronckles?" "Because they're sturdy and when they're tough, they're **tough**." Eerika answered.

"Scauldrons are rather interesting." Xanthe stated, "It's cool that they have venom **and **that melting blast. What about you, Mathias?" The Berserker tapped his foot, thoughtfully, "I like Speed Stingers. Even though you can't fly them, I'd like to learn how to train some. They would be good allies." The kids spoke more of things about themselves like that and a few more techniques were practiced. Soon, night fell upon the kingdom. "We should probably wrap it up." Eerika told, seeing how dark it was getting. They had been so engrossed by talking and training that they had completely lost track of the time. "I guess, we should." Xanthe agreed. Despite having disappointed demeanors, the three said their goodbyes and parted ways. Eerika walked into her hut and saw her parents trying-and failing-to hide how joyous they were. "Sooo." Dagur sang, practically bouncing. "How did it go?" Mala asked, hardly any better herself. Their daughter giggled, "Really well. They seem nice and we'll be hanging out more after class."

"That's great, Eri." Dagur beamed. Since it was so late, Eerika went to bed shortly afterwards. After they had tucked her in and given her kisses on the cheek, the parents returned to the main room. Dagur took hold of Mala's hand and twirled her. She laughed, "Careful. One might just assume you to be happy." she joked, giving him an eskimo. "Wouldn't want that." the chief grinned, kissing her. They were right to be excited. Over the next week, Eerika, Mathias, and Xanthe had been spending a lot of time together. They were enjoying themselves and had also learned a little about the bullies. The group was led by two vikings; one Berserker, Ingrid, and a Defender, Rolf. The kids had not been able to do very much, with them being kept after classes and everything, but it was the last day of their punishment and then they would be free vikings.

Eerika could see it in their eyes that they were just salivating at knowing the classes would be over soon. At the end of the day, Eerika thanked the reachers-as was her custom. She had gotten Xanthe and Mathias into the habit as well. The students left the arena, Eerika keeping a close eye on the bullies' whereabouts. She noticed that they were trying to stay just far enough away so that they would not be seen. Clearly, their plan did not work. The viking positioned herself slightly behind her aquaintances, making her closer to the others than they were. Subtly, she nudged them. They glanced at her and paid attention to her discreet manner. With a gesture of her eyes, they were informed of them being followed. "How confident are you two with your fighting abilities?" Eerika whispered. They had delayed responses which answered more than words could have. Mentally, Eerika altered her plans. Bringing the group to their huts would have been a fool's move, so they led them to the trading station instead.

Amongst the many vikings, the three children easily lost their pursuers. So much of Eerika hated that they were hiding, but she knew it would have been difficult to fight the group **and** keep the two safe. After they were sure that they were not still being tracked, the trio started to make their way back to their huts. "Um, do you want to hang out later, then?" Eerika asked, uncertainly. Mathias's face scrunched up, "No way. I don't plan on letting them control whether or not we have fun." Smiling, Eerika saw that Xanthe was mirroring his moxie. "All right then. What do you want to do?" she inquired, rubbing her hands together with anticipation. The Defender's eyes twinkled, "We could spar." she suggested. Mathias and Eerika nodded and got into fighting stances. They sparred for the rest of the evening and ending, winded, but exhilarated. "That...was fun." Mathias panted, leaning over to put his hands on his knees. He caught his breath, "I gotta head back and work on my blocks." he said, jokingly. The girls chuckled, "I doubt that it will make much of a difference." Xanthe teased, lightly.

Mathias laughed and the group waved goodbye. The next day, class went by and they started to delve into more dragon facts. It concluded and the students left. Ingrid and Rolf's gang was not feeling like losing the opportunity to see the three again. Just as they were far enough away from the arena, Eerika could sense the new presences. "We're about to be surrounded." she whispered. Rather than panicking, the others gave small nods. Within a matter of seconds, the trio was circled by the group. "We weren't too happy about being stuck in that arena for the **entire **week." Ingrid hissed. She and Rolf drew maces and brandished them, violently. The rest of their team followed suit. "Are you three prepared to apologize yet for getting us in trouble?" Rolf asked. Xanthe stuck out her chin, "Apologize? Yes, I do now recall forcing you to speak and bully during the class." she said, sarcastically. Annoyed, Rolf tried to hit her, but she dodged and smirked. This enraged the group further and they began to tighten the circle.

Maces and clubs swung, threatening to strike one of the vikings. Mathias dealt with two kids while one of the attackers tried to sneak up behind him. Like lightning, Eerika struck the kid on the head, knocking him out. Sensing another by her, she dropped to the ground and did a spinning, sweep kick. With a loud thud, Ingrid hit the floor. She was immediately disarmed and Eerika pointed the weapon at her. Rolf went over to help her get back up and Xanthe tackled him when he was distracted. Mathias took his mace as Xanthe pinned the other Defender to the dirt. The rest of the gang started to back off, seeing that their leaders were down. Eerika scoffed at them, "Done already? You all are quick to fight when you think that you have the upper hand, but flee like the cowards you are as soon as the tides turn." This infuriated one viking so much that she charged at Xanthe, club ready. Before the attacker knew what had happened, she was pinned to a tree by a knife. Her team was only more discouraged by this and they left her.

Shaking her head, Eerika walked over to the viking. "Tell your friends that we do not like people trying to jump us. If this occurs a second time, you might not be pinned by your **clothes**." she promised. The viking gulped and nodded, then was released. She ran off and the trio scowled after them. Once they were out of hearing and seeing range, the three smiled at each other. "You guys were great!" Eerika commended. They beamed back, "And don't count yourself short. That sweep and not even to mention that shot at the end." Mathias awed. "You finally got it!" Xanthe told. Eerika's smile took up her whole face, "I guess, I was not overthinking it this time. That's good to know I can do it in battle, if never any other time." The trio basically skipped back to her hut and told her parents, excitedly. "Impressive." Dagur told, grinning with pride. "Quite." Mala agreed. The children locked hands, "You know," Eerika began, "if we keep this up, we could become a great team." The others nodded and went in for a group hug. It seemed like even something as nice as friendships and trust could emerge from as hateful as senseless violence.


	23. Action Reaction

Eerika was out talking with Xanthe and Mathias, having the time of their lives. They went by the docks and trading station, all the while being followed by a large shadow. Gradually, it started to get noticed by the children. They sped up and tried to hide inside buildings, but it passed through the walls and pursued them, undaunted. There was nowhere to be safe from the aggressive being, so all that they could do was fight back. Xanthe unsheathed a sword and tried to slice at the fog. Of course, it was intangible and unharmed by her attack. Next, Mathias threw buckets of water on it, but alas no change was made. Seeing that nothing was working, Eerika led it away from the others and the village. It chased her mercilessly throughout the forests and engulfed every area it entered. Soon, she was completely surrounded and it closed in on her. Determined to not be taken out by the evil force, Eerika jumped into the only place that was not consumed by the shadows-the lava. Her agonized screams were amplified by the mist-made acoustics.

In a cold sweat, Dagur awoke and sat upright in the bed. The sounds of Mala's deep breathing informed him that she had not awakened on his account. Quietly, Dagur got ready for the day and tiptoed past his wife and their child's room. He had planned on finding something to fix in the library or something, but wanted to sit down at the kitchen table first. He had not been able to get what Eerika had told them that night out of his mind. So much of him was proud of her and her new buddies with how they handled the situation, but another part of him was worried that she was forming enemies at such a young age. _"That's what getting **older **is for."_ he mused, sharpening a knife_. _He stopped to stroke his beard in thought, _"Eri's only seven. I didn't have my first enemy until...actually I guess, she's waited longer."_ The king sheepishly chuckled at the memory. He kept eying the blade and thought back to how Eerika had said that she pinned one of the attackers. _"She seemed surprised that she was able to. I'll work with her on it some more today so that she'll have better confidence."_

About three hours after Dagur had gotten up, Mala did the same. She too could not get what Eerika had informed them out of her head. The queen nearly felt offended that some of their subjects would even dare to attack their princess. She knew that kids would be kids, but still they should have known to not behave in such a way. _"Such mutiny shall not be tolerated."_ she thought, making the bed. It was not until the chieftess made it quite tightly that she realized she might have been upset. Sighing, she ran a hand over her blonde hair, _"It would do little good to Eerika or her friends if we intervene so soon. They would be thought of as children who needed protection. Should this occcur again, however, then we will act." _Mala mentally decided. She finished getting ready, but could not shake the unwelcomed feeling of paranoia. _"What if the next time is too late and she becomes terribly wounded?"_ A panic rose in her chest and she pushed it down, settling for an uneasy feeling in her stomach. _"Eerika will be fine. We can make sure of that."_ she mused, resolutely. Done, the queen exited the room and joined her husband who had returned to the kitchen.

Mala had a frown on her face from thinking so hard about Eerika. The king noted her expression, but knew its cause. They kissed and started to set the table for breakfast. After a few minutes, Eerika came over to them. "Good morning." she chirped, gleefully. The young viking jumped up to kiss them on the cheeks and smiled at the food. "Thank you, Daddy." she told. After she had taken a few bites, Mala and Dagur exchanged knowing glances. "Would you like to learn new combat techniques, Eerika?" the mother asked. Her daughter's eyes sparkled, "Yes please. I felt a little flat footed yesterday too." She inspected her carving knife closely, "I'd also like to work on my blade throwing. I still do not feel too ready to rely on it again." The chief inwardly leapt for joy at her request, but remained mildly calm, outwardly. "Sounds great, Eri. We can start after breakfast." Eerika smiled and bounced, slightly, in her seat. When she was finished, she cleaned up the dishes, then headed outside to warm up and wait for her parents. As soon as she left, the leaders gave each other large smiles. "This is wonderful." Mala stated, in a hushed voice. Dagur nodded, too excited for nonrambling words, and they left the hut.

Eerika had her weapons out and was practicing some stances. The viking's parents nodded approvingly at the position and Mala drew her sword. Subsequently, the queen motioned for Eerika to do the same. She obediently did and imitated Mala's hold of the weapon. The chieftess demonstrated a way to slit the throat of a taller opponent, flawlessly. It never ceased to amaze Eerika how graceful her mother made everything look. She was so proper and yet knew how to have fun as well. The shown movement required elongation and fluidity coupled with power and assertiveness. They trained using a tree as the larger foe, but Eerika could not figure out how to be simultaneously sleek and strong. Any strike she made that was pretty was also too weak for any affect and contrarily, any attack that had adequate force behind it was clumsy. Again, Mala demonstrated. Unable to take the continuing failure, Eerika asked, "I know that I am overthinking it, however, how do I notdo that? More than anything, I am overthinking trying to **not **overthink."

Mala smiled, warmly, at the young girl, "It took me a very long time to learn this. I promise you that the art will not be learned in a moment's notice. You will have to practice, but you will also need to trust yourself. Perfection, though sought relentlessly, is highly unlikely for anyone to grasp. We must often settle for doing our own, personal, bests. Once you are completed with trying to do it perfectly, you will do it properly." The Defender could see that her words had sunk in. Before Eerika could try again, Mala prevented her. "I do not want you to attempt it, immediately. Simply, let it process through your mind. You know how to execute it." she told. Her daughter appeared hesitant, but listened. The two did a few other techniques, the rest of which came far more easily for the child. Afterwards, Eerika was ready for blade tossing. Dagur had already set up the targets in the middle of the night, just in case they had decided to train in the next day. He had a wide smile on his face as she skipped over to him and pulled out several knives that she had hidden.

Dagur pointed to some targets that were closest to them. "Now, what we're going to do is start off with those and then move out farther. When done gradually, it doesn't seem so jarring." he informed her, "Line it up, keep your wrist in a straight line-just like a punch-and apply the right amount of strength to get it there. Also, be aware of your surroundings and environment. Do you notice anything that might mess up your shot?" Surprised, Eerika looked around, "I don't think so." The king smirked, "Well, **I **do. The wind. It's a strong gust out today and that will affect your throw. The wind factor always has to be taken into account." His daughter had confusion written all over her face, "What do I do next? I cannot make the wind stop." A chuckled tickled at Dagur's throat, "No, but you **can **adjust for it. If it's blowing really hard to the East, make it so your shot is a little towards the West and vice versa." Eerika bobbed her head and felt the breeze. It was nearly blowing her to her left, so she moved her hand slightly more to the right than she normally would. With a straight wrist and mild force, she hit the target, laughing triumphantly.

They worked on some more and the farthest targets were moderately challenging for Eerika. She ended up missing the last two. "If I cannot hit things that are far away, how am I going to be good with knives like you?" she wondered, sadly. Dagur smiled, encouragedly, "I've had lots of practice. You'll get it too. Don't worry." He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. The family spent the rest of the day training and it concluded with them all feeling very relieved. The next day, a knock came on their door. It was a different pattern from Heather or Throk, so the king went to answer. As he opened the door, he amusedly had his eyes trail down to see the small visitor. Mathias was standing with his right hand in a salute and his back straighter than a board. "You really don't have to do that." Dagur chuckled. The young Berserker put his hand back down, "Sorry. I forgot that you had said that." His head lowered, timidly, and the king invited him in, warranting an excited grin from the child. "Hi, Eerika." he waved. The girl waved back and beamed, "Hey, Mathias. What brings you over?"

"I was going to go see the recovering dragons today. Do you want to join me? I figured that I'd ask Xanthe after I came here." the Berserker told. Eerika looked at her parents, "Can I?" They nodded, "I see no reason for the contrary." Mala stated. "Just be back for dinner." The child hugged her and Dagur, then left with Mathias. As the leaders watched her trot along towards the healing center, their heartbeats quickened. "Um, she should be all right." the chief said, with somehow even less certainty than he felt. Mala gave an absent-minded nod and kept observing until the kids were out of sight. The two went to Xanthe's house and a teenaged viking answered the knock. "Hi. Is Xanthe home?" Eerika inquired. The elder viking nodded and turned her head over her shoulder, "Xanthe." she called, "Your friends have come to call on you." After some shuffling, the sought after Defender popped out the hut. "Do you want to join us and go to the healing center?" Mathias asked her. The young girl seemed intrigued by that, "All right. I heard that a Razor Whip and Skrill were brought in yesterday."

Xanthe had been correct and the healing center was filled to the rim with dragons. Gronckles, Deadly Nadders, Skrills, Razor Whips, Monstrous Nightmares, Hideous Zipplebacks and more were starting to recover from one injury or another. This was the only time that the kids were allowed to see them because otherwise, they would be too aggressive. Eerika calmly approached a purple Triple Stryke and it let her pat its head. Mathias was trying to go near a Nadder while Xanthe played with some Skrill siblings. Just as everything was going well, Eerika noticed that they were no longer the only vikings in the area. Rolf and the group were coming over. The trio got into defensive stances, ready for any fight the gang had to offer. The bullies held up their hands in a peaceful way. "We did not come to fight you. Only to converse." the Defender told. Eerika doubted that, but did not want to endanger the injured dragons by upsetting the team. "Where is Ingrid?" she inquired. Rolf shrugged, "We are not joined at the hip. What I wanted to speak to you three about was the events of a few days ago."

Eerika noted that Rolf's team appeared slightly uneasy. Still, he spoke on, "We do not often take part in such violence, however, when it is necessary, we see no issue." A mild silence occurred before the Defender cleared his throat, "Because of you, we were kept after training for the entire week. When we suggested that you apologize, we were attacked by you. Now, I ask this one last time. Do you regret your actions?" Mathias scoffed, "Not in the least. We took you before and we can do it again, so I don't know how you plan on getting this apology." Again, the rest of the group looked nervous. They whispered amongst themselves, but stopped as they received a glare from Rolf. He smiled, smugly, at the trio and put his hands behind his back. "All right then. Clearly, there is no reasoning with you. I see no use in further wasting my time. Goodbye." He strolled out of the center, his croonies following closely behind. "Well, that was...simple." Xanthe said, unsure, "It seemed too simple, yes?" Her friends nodded, "Extremely." Mathias added.

Eerika started to look around, "He did **something**. I am just not sure what it was. We cannot risk the dragons being hurt, so let's make sure that he did not leave any traps or anything." The three began to search for things that could hurt the reptiles. "Nothing is over here." Xanthe called. "Same." Mathias agreed, "Maybe..." He yelped as an explosion of fire nearly hit him. The viking leapt away from a psychotic Hideous Zippleback, only to have to dive in order to miss being shot by a Nadder spine. "What's going on?!" he exclaimed. His comrades had heard his cry and ran over to him, also seeing the dragons in a state of aggression. A Skrill roared and charged up, sending a blast right past Xanthe. The Defender's hair shot straight out of her hood and her eyes were wide. "Here's some cover." Eerika spotted, pointing to several large boulders. The trio hid and in between blasts, they could talk. "Why're they doing this?" Mathias asked. A Thunderdrum bellowed his earshattering roar at a Monstrous Nightmare, who fired back and they both fell to their sides.

"Rolf and the others must have set something up." Xanthe told, "That is probably why Ingrid was not with them." Eerika thought hard, "What would make dragons go cra-Dragon Root." she realized. Cautiously, Eerika peeked over her boulder to try to see where the Dragon Root might be. It was difficult to see, what with all the fire and smoke. _"If the dragons do not kill **us**, they are going to kill each other."_ the viking thought. From the corner of her eye, Eerika saw a Gronckle and a practically unsettling grin formed on her face. The dragon was also hiding from the onslaught of attacks, but was not too far from where she was. "Please be like Shattermaster." Eerika prayed, silently. Just as a Cavern Crasher had finished setting its spread mucus aflame, Eerika took a quick, deep breath and rolled over to the Gronckle. "Hey," she said, breathlessly, "I'm going to need you to help me get rid of that Dragon Root, okay?" The dragon knew what she wanted, but looked hesitant.

The girl tried to get onto its back, although stopped, after remembering what her father had told her about Gronckles when they do not want to be ridden. "Then can you go move it?" she pleaded. The dragon was steadfast and unmoving. It had a safe spot and was not going to risk its life for them. "You're not like Shattermaster at all." she said, chastisingly. The dragons were growing more restless and vicious, as if that were even possible. _"Think, Eerika. Think."_ she mused, feeling a strong sense of stress in her chest. Already, one-third of the dragons were badly wounded. The rocks that Mathias and Xanthe were hiding behind got destroyed by a Triple Stryke and they were forced into the open. The two dodged and rolled as much as they could, but they would not be able to hold the creatures off much longer. Eerika strove to run for the root herself, but a path of Zippleback gas coated her way. So preoccupied with not being blasted, Xanthe and Mathias were not noticing as a Razor Whip stalked them from behind. Eerika saw and called out a warning, though the roars and blasts were too loud for her voice to be heard.

Like a Skrill's lightning, Eerika ran over to the vikings, just as the dragon raised its tail. She pushed them down, close to the ground, and covered their bodies with her own. The viking let out a grunt of pain as she felt a slash across her upper back. The dragon was not yet done, roared again, and readied its tail to finish her off. Before it could, a blast of lava was shot into its face, sending the Razor Whip backwards. Eerika felt as strong arms, gingerly, lifted her from the ground and held her. The viking held her father too and felt her mother running a careful hand over her hair. Warily, she glanced up and saw Shattermaster flying in, fangs bared, and going for the root. He snarled at the other Gronckle and pulled the plant off the ground. Finally, he flew away with the root, giving harsh glares to any dragon that dared to think of pursuing him. Once the root was far enough away, Sleuther flew in and the group got onto his saddle. The girl's friends were placed behind her and they clung together. Mala was sitting in front of Eerika and she hugged her, gently. Dagur was glad that Sleuther knew the way back to their hut because his eyes were not forward and instead, focused on their wounded daughter.

It took a few minutes for the children to register that they were no longer in danger and by the time that they did, they were back at the leaders' hut. Heather and Throk were walking nearby and rushed over. The Berserker gasped and was at a loss for words. "Please make sure that her friends get back to their huts." Dagur requested, carrying Eerika inside theirs. Effective immediately, her parents began work on treating the injury. It was a deep gash and one that would leave a large mark. They finished and were mildly proud of themselves for keeping from tearing up at applying that kind of first aid to their child. "Ar-are-how are you feeling?" Dagur asked. Eerika kept from grimacing at the pain, though it still felt better when they had applied a special ointment. "I'm okay. It's nothing too bad." she stated. Mala's eyes portrayed her emtions and they had gone from concern, to sadness, to rage. "You will need to rest. I shall go bring your meal." she said. Briskly, she got the food and then pulled Dagur into the other room.

"Those demons put the Dragon Root in that center and caused her to get hurt." Mala declared, through gritted teeth, "She could have died. Everyone in there could have. They deserve to be executed along with their failures of parents for raising such despicable creatures." Dagur was furious as well, but tried to switch positions and be the rational one. "They **will **be punished, but maybe we should not execute them all." Mala glared at him, "And why not? It is a matter of treason to make an attempt on the life of a royal." The Berserker nodded, "It isn't a crime that's a new issue for us. I would have killed those vikings way back then, but what you said worked. They're in jail. The same will be for group. Death is technically a really easy way out of a punishment. It happens and then boom-it's over. Being stuck in jail makes you **wish **that you had been executed." Despite wanting to question him, Mala saw his face and was aware that he knew what he was talking about. "Fine." she consented, "They shall serve a life punishment. If they wish to do adult crimes, they shall pay adult prices." The two sighed and wrapped their arms around each other. Even among all the new stresses they felt, they could be comforted in knowing that their daughter was still alive.


	24. Day's Duties and Night's Nerves

The next morning, Heather went to the leaders' hut to look after Eerika while the viking's parents left. With determined and cold expressions, they held a meeting to discuss the fates of the treacherous vikings. Mala and Dagur sat on their thrones and practically sentenced the culprits to death with their eyes. "You all are charged with high treason. Not only did you endanger your heir and fellow citizens, contradicting the loyalty that Berserkers have maintained for one another for so long-" Dagur began. "But, you also endangered the lives of recovering dragons, contradicting the very namesake of the Defenders of the Wing." Mala finished. While the other vikings looked regretful, Rolf and Ingrid could not have appeared more indignant. "Do you have anything to say in your defense?" the queen inquired, body tense with rage. The leaders of the group stood tall and stepped forward. "We find no guilt in ourselves for the actions that we have committed." Rold proclaimed. Ingrid nodded, "It was worth it all, given that at least **one** of those punks got hurt." The amount of restraint that the rulers applied which prevented them from strangling the convicts was unparalled. Also, they could see that the team wished to speak, however, they were too fearful.

Considering how purely terrified the rest of the kids looked, Dagur and Mala were almost beginning to think that they had not wanted to do the crime in the first place. If only they would say something in their defense, though. "Should no one have anything else to contribute, we sentence you prison, indefinitely." Mala told. The other children's mouths gaped and their parents held their shoulders, protectively. "Can't we take their time?" one mother asked. Despite knowing how they would feel in the same situation, the royal parents knew that they would not be in the same situation because of how they had raised their child. "No." Dagur told, "They clearly don't feel bad for doing any of it, so how can we be sure they won't try something even **more **dangerous next time? The entire island could have been at risk, had the dragons gotten more out of hand." The leaders side-eyed each other, "Of course," Mala started, "If someone among them were to convince us that they are remorseful and would seek to rectify their actions as best as they could, we might reconsider this statement."

A mild silence occurred and the king and queen sighed, "Very well, then." Mala resigned, signalling for Throk to take them away. Speedily, a Berserker rushed forward, eyes glistening. "I'm sorry! I didn't want to go through with it, but was afraid what would happen if I didn't." Her team seemed shocked to hear this and another stood by her. "I was fearful as well. While I **did **take part in the first attack, this was too far and I apologize." a Defender told. One by one, the rest of the team gave their sincerest apologies. "We know that we can't take it back, but isn't there something we can do to try to make ammends?" one pleaded. Dagur tapped his chin, thoughtfully, "A lot of damage was made in the healing center. Someone will have to take care of that and bring whatever the dragons need while they are nursed back to health...**again**." Hope sparkled in the eyes of the young vikings and they bowed and saluted. "Thank you, my lieges." they said. With a flick of the hand, Mala dismissed those who had been acquitted. "Rolf and Ingrid, unless either of you has anything to say that **won't **make us want to lock you up forever, you'll be going with Throk." Dagur informed them. The two said nothing more and the Defender directed them towards the prison.

As this was going on, only a few minutes had gone by between the time that Heather arrived to the hut and the time that Eerika left her room. Her shoulders were slightly hunched, but besides that she seemed to be all right. "Hi, Aunty." she greeted. The Berserker smiled at her, "Hey, Eerika. How are you feeling?" Eerika shrugged and instaneously regretted the decision, stifling a grimace. Gingerly, she slid into a chair next to the second-in-command. "I've been better, but it is not so bad." Eerika stated. Her face looked full of concern, "Are Mathias and Xanthe all right? I didn't get a good look at them before they went home." The aunt and niece began to eat their prepared breakfasts. "They're okay." Heather informed the girl, "A bit shaken up, from what I could see, but not hurt." Sadness replaced concern as a new thought dawned on the heir, "What about the dragons? Before we left, I saw that a large amount were already harmed." Crossing her arms oved her chest, she scowled, "There was an entirely **useless **Gronckle that refused to help get rid of that Dragon Root." Heather smirked, "The other dragons are going to be fine. You're right that they **did **get bruised up pretty badly, but, with time, they'll recover."

Heather reached out her hand to hold Eerika's. "Now, I understand that you want your friends and the dragons to be all right, however, we're want **you **to be all right too." She sighed, "Razor Whips have extremely lethal tails. If your mother and father hadn't come when they did, you would have gotten really hurt." Her niece gave a small nod, "I know." she said, quietly, "Things seemed to be going so quickly that I could not think of anything else to do. Helping the dragons was a non factor, with all the explosions blocking the way to the root. All I could do was try to make sure that Xanthe and Mathias were safe." She smiled, proudly, "Like Daddy said, the island and its inhabitants are for us to protect." Before Heather could say anything more on the topic, some knocks came on the door. The Berserker rose from her chair and answered it. In the doorway, stood Mathias and Xanthe, both holding containers. "Hi." they said, simultaneously and sadly. Heather grinned, "Come on in, you two. Eerika's right over here." The children followed the woman to the table and smiled. "Hey, Eerika." Mathias started, "We really appreciate what you did for us yesterday and wanted to try to make it up to you."

The two set down their containers on the table. "I brought you some ointment that helps relieve pain." Mathias told. "And here is some food that aids in enticing the body to start healing itself better." Xanthe stated. She opened the container up to reveal a delicious smelling meal. Eerika beamed and wanted to hug them, although knew that it would not be for the best. "Thanks. This is really sweet of you." she said, sincerely. The vikings plopped down in the seats next to her. "We owe you a lot more than this, but it's a start." Mathias told, visibly thinking hard. Eerika giggled at his pensive frown, "I didn't do it to get anything in return. Still, with that said, appreciate what you've got there." She took a big whiff of the aroma, "And that smells great." The group spoke for a little while, with one topic on their minds. "What do you think will happen to those jerks?" Mathias inquired, his face clouding over. Xanthe's eyes showed a coldness, "They could have killed us **and **the rest of the island, so they deserve something at least nearly that severe." Their friend could only shrug, "I don't know. All I know is that my parents went to go speak on the matter this morning." The girl glowered, "You also have to take into account how cowardly they acted. Instead of even trying to fight us again, with their literal **gang**, they went straight to having the poor dragons do their bidding."

Xanthe shook her head, "My mother and father were ready to kill them, themselves when I told them what had occurred." Mathias chuckled, scornfully, "I didn't even dare telling my folks all that went on. They're cool until something serious happens, then they barge in, head first and swords brandished. I figured that I'd let them find the **whole **thing out when they were around other vikings. Maybe that way, someone can calm them down." The Berserker tilted his head, thoughtfully, "It must be hard for your parents, Eerika. You're the only one that got hurt, so they probably really want to execute somebody..and have the authority to." The princess ran an exasperated hand through her full hair, "Believe me, I've thought about that, but I don't think that it would be good for them to sentence kids to death." She rested her head in her hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose with the other. "You look tired." Xanthe noted. Mathias nodded, "Were you able to get any rest last night?" Smirking, sleepily, Eerika shook her head, "Not really, but I am fine. Tonight will most likely be better." The kids spoke more, then Xanthe and Mathias rose to leave. "You will need to rest to heal and we don't want to keep you from that." the Defender told. Eerika breathed, heavily, "I know. Thanks for dropping by today." She flashed her winning smile and the two exited the hut.

Once outside, Mathias and Xanthe looked at each other. "Hey, do you want to go and check in on the meeting?" the Berserker asked, mischief sparkling in his eyes. Xanthe looked around, inconspicuously, "It would not be proper for children(such as ourselves)to be eavesdropping in on the royals and council." she whispered. Mathias's face dropped, "So, you don't want to?" An ornery grin spread over Xanthe's visage, "I only said that it would not be 'proper', not that it would not be fun. We have to be stealthy, though. Otherwise, we will be spotted by someone." Her comrade tried to flatten his body against a tree trunk, invoking a chuckle from Xanthe. "Your stealth could be improved upon, my friend. Since classes were dismissed today, it would not look so odd if we were walking about. Just act naturally." she suggested, beginning to stroll along towards the hall. After two more shifts of his eyes, Mathias followed her. If one were to see the kids, they would have appeared to be doing nothing more than taking a walk to their homes; however, once they got close to the hall, they intertwined themselves amongst the other vikings and made their way over to the tall trees. A small opening was in the top of the building so that when they had fires in the fireplace, the smoke would have a way out. Above this aforementioned opening, hung a sturdy tree branch.

Since there was no flame this day, it was relatively safe to balance over top of the building's smoke hole. The only remaining issue was that the tree which hung above the opening was not accessible, unless you did not mind being seen by the majority of vikings in the area. This was due to the tree being placed right by the constantly opening and closing door. Mathias used his head to gesture to another tree nearby. If they could go branch to branch, they would be able to reach the one they sought. Expertly, Xanthe scaled the tree and extended a hand to the impressed looking Berserker. He took it and climbed up with her. Moving like a Cavern Crasher, the Defender made it to the top of the tree and judged the distance between herself and the other branch. Applying just enough force, she pushed off and landed on the larger tree. Next, she moved further into the tree so that her accomplice could follow. Mathias swung and landed near to Xanthe. The pair climbed more and began to realize that the branch which would allow them to listen to the converstaion would not allow both of them to rest upon its surface. Carefully, Xanthe inched down and stopped, being directly over the hatch.

The Defender strained to hear and could only make out a few words here and there. "What are they saying?" Mathias asked, whispering. "I am not sure, yet. I think that only Ingrid and Rolf are getting punished." Xanthe replied. While she could hardly hear what was being stated, the young girl could see somewhat all right. "The king and queen look really upset." she told Mathias. He nodded, "As they should be." A few more words came in, but Xanthe mainly watched the scene unfold. The gang leaders somehow demonstrated even less regard for what was to come as Throk led them away. Little more occurred that was interesting and after what felt like an eternity of more straining, Xanthe started to inch back over to the trunk. "I cannot tell what else they are saying. Besides, they have already been taken to the cells by now." They climbed back down and wondered about what to do next. "I suppose that there are things that I can do around the hut." Mathias stated. "The same goes for me." Xanthe told. They waved their goodbyes and left for their huts, feeling rather content that Rolf and Ingrid were going to be locked up.

Although the majority of the vikings were as glad as Xanthe and Rolf that the criminals would be imprisoned, their parents were not among those people. "Can't you show some mercy?" Ingrid's father asked. Rolf's mother chimed in, "They are only children and do not know better." Dagur's and Mala's cold expression gradually formed into those of disgust. "If they really do not know any better, it's only because you did not teach them." the chieftess proclaimed, "Even still, I am not convinced that they weren't entirely aware of their actions." The lenient parents continued, "But, they feel terrible for what they have done." Dagur rapped his fingers against the armrest of his throne, impatiently, and pointed to the kids, "You saw them. Not even Loki could fool someone, appearing like that. Face it. They might not be in jail forever, but they need to learn discipline." An outcry had been building in the subconscious mind of one of the parents and had transitioned to the forefront. "Surely **you**,Chief, can excuse the dangerous, foolish, and brash acts of young vikings." Wrong nerves were struck with that statement and the sentiment behind it. Dagur leaned forward in his chair and practically snarled, "I never almost got the whole island killed because I was caught talking in training!"

Mala reached across to caress her spouse's tense hand, lovingly. The chief did a few quick and quiet chants, then took a deep breath. "With you being as upset as you are about your kids being in prison, I'm sure that you can understand the plight of ourselves and the other parents whose children almost lost their lives." Dagur explained, with a sense of boiling rage behind his calm demeanor. The queen's brows furrowed and she inquired, "Where did they obtain the Dragon Root? It all should have been destroyed." Shrugging, the parents had no answer for her. Realizing that there was nothing more that they could do to keep the children from spending their time in cells, the Berserker and Defender parents exited the hall. Dagur and Mala had wanted to go home to check in on Eerika, but had many vikings that had questions for them. Because of this, they stayed until the end of the day. The last viking was basically shooed out and the two hurriedly left behind him. Along the way back, the king smirked, "Did you notice our little guests?" Mala nodded and chuckled, "I suppose that they are feeling fine, at least."

The leaders reached their hut and saw that Eerika was eating. Heather smiled at the two and gestured to two more dishes, "Hey, I figured that since you've been gone all day, I could make you something for when you got back." "Thanks, Sis." Dagur told, both he and the queen grinning, gratefully. They went over to their daughter and she automatically started. "All right, I have got a nice amount of questions, just so you know. What happened today? Did they all get into trouble and if so, what kind? Or did only Rolf and Ingrid have to have a sentence carried out? And were their parents so upset that it took the entire day to fix things?" She inhaled, deeply to replenish the now gone oxygen that her lungs were accustomed to. Her parents smiled and sat beside the viking, explaining what had occured during the day. She listened, intently, and when they were done, showed them the gifts that Mathias and Xanthe had brought for her. A few hours passed before the heir was to go rest. The rulers, like the girl's aunt and friends, told her that sleeping would help her heal. As Eerika slept, the adults thanked Heather again for staying with Eerika that day and then spoke on a few of the day's matters. Before long, they were saying their goodnights and retiring as well. Succumbing to the helpless state known as slumber.

In sleep, many things can happen. This includes alternate endings for the past. Eerika, Xanthe, and Mathias were back in the healing center, but were being targeted by the dragons. There was nowhere to hide or run and the reptiles snarled, coming from all sides. Eerika tried to find a way out for the group, however, could only witness with horror as Xanthe was torn to pieces by a Monstrous Nightmare. A Razor Whip ended the life of Mathias via impaling. The boy cried out in agony, but his suffering was not to be long. A Thunderdrum bellowed its roar and blew Mathias off of the island. The sound of flapping called Eerika's attention to the right. From there, she saw Shattermaster and Sleuther flying in to save her. The Triple Stryke's eyes began to have a new look in them and he hissed at the girl. Shattermaster tried to stop him, but was overcome by the group of dragons and killed. Heather and Throk were there to aid, though were no match for the likes of the vicious reptiles. Eerika cried out futile warnings as her aunt and uncle were mauled. A lump formed in her throat and she tried to make it go away, but could not. Next, she felt herself being flung. It was a fling not of anger or aggressive, but of protection.

Turning around, Eerika saw that her parents had pushed her out of the way of Sleuther's tails, taking the stings for themselves. The child could still see the lethal venom dripping off the stinger. It caused the leaders to convulse-a horrible vision that was soon blurred. Eerika could do nothing to ease their pain and felt a sense of relief and misery when it ended. Despairingly, she sunk to her knees and cried. With tear-stained cheeks and a heaving chest, Eerika awoke. She shot upright and winced at her gash. _"Stupid cut.__" _she thought. No longer did anything having to do with sleep sound pleasureable; however, neither did being alone in her room. The silence seemed to echo her parents yells, somehow. Quietly rising, Eerika went to the hut's main area. Her eyes adjusted and she saw another figure sitting down, sharpening a blade. The girl was unsure if she should attempt to return to her room or not. _"Will he just send me back there anyway? I wonder if he's noticed me."_ she pondered. The latter question was quickly answered. "Are you all right, Eri? Is any pain keeping you up?" Dagur asked, concern filling his voice. Eerika went to sit by him, "No, it isn't." She visibly saw ease wash over her father's face and he continued to sharpen the dagger. "Then, mind telling me what's wrong?"

The young viking's eyes diverted from the chief's and she shifted in her seat. "It is nothing serious." she said, quietly. Dagur glanced up from the blade and put it up. "Eri, I'm sure that you didn't randomly decide to get up and lounge around in chairs in the middle of the night." he rationed. Still, her eyes did not meet his. "My reason is dumb." she told, dejectedly. The king rested his chin in his hands, interestedly, and gave an encouraging smile. "I won't think it's dumb. Please tell me." Eerika sighed and turned to him, "I had this nightmare where Mathias, Xanthe, and I were back at the healing center, getting attacked. This time, though, everything was terrible. They died, Shattermaster got killed, Aunty and Uncle did too, then Strykie got affected by the Dragon Root and..." the girl strove to not get choked up and started again, "killed you and Mommy when you tried to save me." Dagur slid his chair next to Eerika's and wrapped a comforting arm around her. "I definitely don't think that's dumb. It's natural to have nightmares after traumatic situations." he informed her. The girl was not convinced and scrunched up her face, "But you two don't get nightmares." Dagur paused for a moment, "That's not true. We both have before and, honestly, I do a lot." he admitted.

Eerika looked at him wide-eyed, "Really? I couldn't imagine what scares you and Mommy. **Nothing **seems to." Dagur chuckled, "Oh, there are some things that get us, but mainly it's the same as what scared you tonight; losing the ones that we love." Dumbfounded, the girl leaned back against him, "Well, what do you do to make the nightmares stop?" A tug came at the king's heart and he wished that he could have told her the answer. "Actually, I don't know. Still kinda trying to figure that out myself." he smiled, sadly. His face brightened, though, and he started to get up. "What are you doing?" Eerika inquired. Dagur was pulling items out of the compartments and lighting a small fire, "While I don't know how to **stop **the bad dreams, I know how to deal with them. This drink helps to calm you down." When he was done, he presented the beverage to the girl, who thanked him. She beamed, after taking a sip. "Can I just stay up with you." she requested. Tapping his foot, ponderously, Dagur replied, "You really do need your rest, Eri. I know that it can be hard to go back to sleep, but we don't want you to get sick. The **last** thing your cut needs is to get an infection." The girl's face dropped and she began to trudge along back to her room, obediently. "Hold up." Dagur called, going over to her, "I was planning on getting some knives sharpened tonight. It's not loud, so I can do that in your your room and keep an eye out if it looks like you're having a nightmare." Eerika gave him a big hug, temporarily forgetting her injury in the spur of the moment. Hand in hand, they went back to her room, where the father tucked her in and kept a watchful eye out for any drastic changes. Eerika yawned, sleepily, "I love you, Daddy." A warm smile traced over Dagur's lips, "Love you too, Eri."


	25. Selection

Five years had gone by since the incident and Eerika's wound had healed, though left the souvenir of a scar. Despite this, she was the top trainee in her class, with Mathias and Xanthe trailing closely behind. They had completed very much of what they had to and were looking forward to whatever the next challenge would bring. Mr. Anderson smiled as he explained what he wanted the students were to do, "Now, your assignment is to train a dragon of your own. You all have until this time next week before we expect you to have this accomplished." Xanthe raised her hand. "Yes, Xanthe?" Ms. Kari asked. The girl lowered her hand, "Are we allowed to train **any **dragon?" Mr. Anderson nodded, "Any dragon or dragon**s** that you wish. This is not regulated to only those that can be ridden." he informed the group. Once the class concluded, many of its students spoke of how they would train Terrible Terrors and receive easy A's. A mild scowl formed on Mathias's face and he nudged his friends, directing their attention to what was being said. "Isn't that so boring? They're just doing the bare minimum." Eerika shook her head at them, "Do you know what kind of dragon you're going to train?" The Berserker boy sighed, "Not really. Might try to train a Speed Stinger, but I want something that I can ride on too."

Mathias's brows unfurrowed and he glanced at the others. "What are you two going to do?" Xanthe shrugged, "I have no idea. It seems highly unlikely that a Scauldron would make a good trainee, so my first choice could not be used." She pursed her lips together, "A Typhoomerang would be too large for discretion, so I am undecided." The two looked at Eerika, who appeared to be no more certain than the Defender and Berserker were. "I want a different kind of dragon." she divulged, "We know about a lot and they are really interesting, but I want to train something unique." the viking said. Xanthe and Mathias agreed. "As fun as Monstrous Nightmares and the others are," the Berserker began, "I've seen so many that I'd really like to have something different." Eerika's eyes lit up and she smiled, "We could go ask my parents which islands have the most unique dragons from what we see around here." she suggested. The princess's friends followed her to the hut and entered. The leaders were training on some dummies and Mala cut off one's head. It landed near the kids, who started to casually keep it off the ground using their knees and kicking it to each other.

"How was class today?" Mala asked the group, punching a mannequin in the middle. "It was fine." Eerika told him. She kicked the dummy head over to Mathias and looked at her parents. "Do you know any islands with a lot of dragons, but those that are more fascinating than what we have here?" she inquired. The chief chuckled, "Seeing Nadders and Zipplebacks everywhere hasn't made you want one?" The girl smirked, "Not quite." Mathias chimed in, "We have to train at least one dragon by next week and were hoping that you could tell us where to start searching." The rulers continued to train, though were thinking of locations to mention. "There is an island to the east that harbored many interesting reptiles." the queen stated, "It had a lush forest and caves that were made into their homes, if I recall correctly." Dagur and Mala shared a glance and the king dug a knife into a target, then peeked over his shoulder to look at the vikings, "If you two ask your parents and they say that it's all right, we'll take you there to find your future dragons." The children beamed and thanked the adults, scurrying off for their huts to ask permission.

Eerika watched them go and commenced training alongside the leaders. "Which dragons are on the island?" she asked. Dagur pressed his lips together and orneriness spread over his face. The young viking sought to think of what there might be. "Snaptrappers?" she tried. No response. Eerika tried again, "Deathgrippers or Cloudjumpers?" The chief laughed, "You'll just have to wait until we get there, Eri." She complied and they waited for her friends' return. Of course, not asking does not mean that she was not thinking, _"I wonder if there will be any Crimson Goregutters. Those would be cool to see. Ooh!-or a TimberJack. They are massive " _The two vikings came back, shining like the brightest stars. "I'm guessing that you got an 'okay'?" Eerika joked. Xanthe and Mathias were too excited for words and could only nod their heads up and down. Mala grinned, "Then, tomorrow we shall embark on our journey." The two trainees thanked the leaders again and said goodbye to their comrade. None of the trio had any clue what they would be returning home with the next day, but it would be something new and very much to their likings.

Sunshine and hardly any clouds. This was the glorious weather that seemed to know how exuberant the impending dragon riders felt. Heather joined the group, so they could use Windshear as well as Sleuther to ride on. She flew with Xanthe and Mathias while her brother and sister-in-law flew with her niece. Their flight was not too terribly long, though of a nice duration. When the island came into view, they could see that it was large, greener than Mala could have described, and sprinked with beautiful flowers. They landed by the coast and could already see some little dragons play fighting. "What are those?" Mathias asked, squinting to attempt deciphering for what the small reptiles were. "Those are Hobgobblers." the queen explained, "Some people consider them to be bad omens, but it has never been proven." The kids started to walk forward and stopped, noticing that the familial dragons and elder vikings were lagging behind. "Is everything okay?" Eerika asked, concerned. Her family smiled, "Yeah, we're fine." Heather told her. Dagur elaborated, "We'll be relatively close behind, but want you three to have your own exploration experience. You already know about all the dragons here, apart from the Hobgobblers-I blame Anderson's complete disregard of superstition for that." he frowned. The trio nodded and started out again.

The leaders and second-in-command watched the kids go off in pursuit of dragons. Mala looked at all the various animals, "I wonder what they shall return with." she mentioned. Heather bobbed her head, "There are so many dragons here that they could kind of come back with anything." She glanced, affectionately, at her own dragon, "Whatever they end up choosing, I hope that they bond as closely with it as Windshear and I have." The queen turned to Dagur and saw that his focus was elsewhere. "What is wrong?" she asked him. Frowning, slightly, the king answered, "I'm not sure. The only thing I don't like about this island **is **actually how big it is. Even if you fly around a few times, it's hard to tell if you're the only ones here or not." Along with them wanting to secure the island, the vikings also wanted to ensure that the trio would be all right. Heather looked over her shoulder and then back at the leaders, "Okay, I can go look around for any other vikings while you two keep an eye on Eerika and her friends." she stated. The parents eyed the younger viking and nodded, "If there are a lot, don't take them all on, though." Dagur told her, "Let us know and we'll come to help you." Heather agreed to those terms and left with the Razor Whip.

The three young vikings had certainly come to the right place for different. Not a Gronckle nor Monstrous Nightmare was in sight. In their stead were Hotpurples and Prickleboggles. Full of awe and wonder, the friends looked around, staying cautious of the unknown dragons, but also lacking fear. A certain reptile caught Mathias's eye. The dragon was about nine feet tall, had a frill on the top of its head, two wings, stood in its hind legs, had a long tail, and its height indicated it being a male. Mathias gestured to him, "Look. It's a Hobblegrunt. Wonder if he would be willing to be friends." he commented to the others. Slowly, the Berserker made his way over to it, but looking very conspicuous. The dragon saw him and tilted his head, yellow skin turning to purple. "Hey, I'm Mathias." the viking said, standing still and letting the dragon sniff him. The Hobblegrunt seemed satisfied that there was no malintent within this viking and he turned into a purplish-yellow. Somewhat intrigued, he kept an eye on the boy while he ate some fish from a stream. Mathias's eyes twinkled and he jumped into the water, catching a shoal with a net. He brought the fish onto the land and presented it to the dragon.

The Hobblegrunt eyed the fish and hesitantly leaned in to sniff them. "They're for you." Mathias told the dragon. Almost surprised by the gesture, he bent down and began eating the aquatic creatures. The Berserker waited for him to finish and when he did, Mathias extended his palm and turned his head away. This was because in case he had moved too quickly with the act, the boy did not care to witness his own mauling. Feeling neither the painful sensation of fangs nor burning sensation of fire, Mathias looked at the Hobblegrunt and could see that he was observing his outstretched hand. Gradually, he moved his snout to the Berserker's palm and closed his eyes, relaxed. Satisfaction filled Mathias and he practically burst with joy, grinning from ear to ear at his friends. They gave him two thumbs up and smiled, beginning to look for dragons of their own. Plenty of dragons were scattered over the island, though none seemed enticing to the young ladies. After walking around for a while, Xanthe stopped and stared at an item, in a trancelike state. Eerika followed her gaze, confused, "What are you looking at, X?" Rather than replying, the Defender walked forward, rhythmically.

All that Eerika could see before the girl was a tree. Regardless, Xanthe continued to go towards it with a blank expression. Eerika was starting to feel panicked and stepped in front of her friend. "Hold on a second, Xanthe." she told. The Defender did not stop and was about to bump into the heiress. Grabbing her by the shoulders, Eerika shook her, gently. "Snap out of it!" Xanthe wiggled her head to clear it and her eyes became clearer. "Something **is **over there, though, Eerika." she stated. They stepped back and glanced around the tree, not looking directly at it. A few tiresome minutes passed and the two saw a Terrible Terror fly to the same spot on the tree that had had Xanthe transfixed. To their shock, the dragon was devoured right before their eyes. It shrieked and the sound was combined with crunching. The vikings wanted to move from their spot, but also did not want to disturb whatever had eaten the dragon. Quietly, they crept from behind a non-hypnotic tree to go closer. Once they did, the two could see that a dragon hid just beyond the large trunk. Xanthe's eyes widened, happily, "It is a Sweet Death." she noted, mentally slapping herself for not having realized that sooner.

The Sweet Death looked very much like a tree trunk, itself, with its striped brown and dark brown skin and thick body. A thorn on its head and wings on its back counteracted this, however. It was a female and noticed the vikings, starting to watch them, intently. A couple Terrible Terrors saw that she was a dragon and not a tree, then began to zip over. They stalked nearby, although the Sweet Death was not the least concerned. Casually, she shot a blast at them, hitting them with something that burned more as seconds passed. It was a corrosive blast and intrigued the vikings as much as it pained the Terrors. As soon as the dragons were sufficiently roasted, the Sweet Death ate them as well. Xanthe looked at the display with a hopeful expression. She turned to look at Eerika and mouthed, "Wish me luck." Her friend gave a nod and stepped away from the two. Xanthe took a deep breath and looked for something to give the dragon. As the Sweet Death smacked her mouth, unsatisfiedly, the Defender smiled and went off to the stream. She took out a water bowl that she had brought just for that situation and filled it, before returning to the reptile's side.

"Would you care for a drink of water?" Xanthe asked, carefully placing it down near the Sweet Death. The dragon eyed it and her, warily, then took a quick lick. When she did not notice any tainting ingredient in it, the reptile lapped up the rest, looking grateful afterwards. The dragon raised her head and moved closer to Xanthe. Steadily, the Defender put her hand out and felt the cool scales of the Sweet Death's forehead. Eerika congratulated Xanthe and went to find her dragon. She did not find one, but saw another viking who was sprawled out on the grass, hidden beneath some shrubbery. Hand on a blade, the girl went to see why the viking was there. Eerika heard a groan and the unknown viking started to move. Peeking over the brush, Eerika saw that the viking was sitting upright. He rubbed his head and looked around, disoriented. "Why am I in the grass?" he asked, mainly to himself. The next time he searched about, he regarded the other viking. He jumped up got into a defensive stance, "Are you the reason why I was knocked out?" he accused. Now that he was standing, Eerika got a better look at the boy. He was somewhat tall, kind of muscular, had dirty blond hair, and looked to be a few years older than the other young vikings on the island.

"No, I didn't even know that you were here before a few moments ago." Eerika told him. She eyed him and glanced around, "What's the last thing that you remember?" The boy shrugged, "I was looking for some new dragons, I guess. I don't remember anything beyond that." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Ugh, whatever it was, did a good job. It feels like an ax is going through my skull." The boy stopped to look at the girl more closely than before, "Sorry for accusing you. I'm Neilson." He extended a hand and the younger viking shook it, "I'm Eerika. Mind if I ask why you were out here looking for dragons?" Neilson's expression was still that of confusion, "I don't remember that either." Intrigued, Eerika looked around where he had been laying, trying to find some clues. She saw a couple of claw marks, but that was all. Nothing came until Eerika heard Heather cry out in surprise. The young girl ran to the sound, accompanied by her parents and friends. By the time that they had gotten there, they saw Heather in a cave and on the ground, unconscious. They rushed over to her and Dagur, gently, got her off the floor. He tapped the Berserker's cheek, lightly, and she started to wake back up.

"Dagur...wh-what happened?" Heather asked, lethargically. "That's what I was about to ask you." her brother said. She ran a hand over her braid, "I'm not sure. I can't remember what happened after I came in here." Eerika started to look around the cave with Sleuther and Windshear. Neilson crossed her mind and she noticed that he was standing there with them. The dragons sniffed around and the Triple Stryke stopped to looked at a hole in the rocks. It was no more than two inches wide, so anything having been in there would have been absurd. Nonetheless, Strykie pawed at the hole with his pincher and tried to open it up, snarling all the while. Windshear joined him and cut the rocks with her tail. This opened it up and they saw why the Triple Stryke had been growling. Inside the crevice, was some odd, flat, animal. "What is that?" Mathias asked, disturbed. None of the others knew and observed, mildly creeped out, as the flat object seemed to inflate into a medium sized dragon. It was plum colored with black details on its body, had sharp claws, a long tail, and surprisingly fascinating, lavendar eyes. Even after seeing it larger, no one could be sure what they were seeing. The dragon glared at each of the vikings and dragons.

Seeing that it was outnumbered, it retracted its claws and climbed up the cavern walls. The dragon found an ideal hole and started to flatten itself back out to fit in it. Before it could, an arrow shot past its head. The vikings got ready for a fight as they saw Dragon Hunters pile into the cave. They hardly paid attention to the Berserkers, Defenders, or even other dragons, focusing entirely on the one. Dagur caught one with a knife, Mala slit a hunter's throat, Heather incapacitated another, and the kids teamed up. Xanthe hit a viking behind the knees as Mathias kicked him in the stomach and Eerika slashed his face. A hunter kept going after the dragon and it caught him in its tail, using it to wrap the viking and constrict him. Something else occurred, though. Along with the tail tightening, it began to excrete a pale green substance that burned through the hunter's armor and down to his flesh. He screamed as it continued. To save his ally, a hunter shot at the dragon with a Dragon Root arrow. Eerika saw this and scaled up some of the wall, using its uneveness. She caught the arrow before it could get the dragon. More arrows were shot near the dragon and it loosened its grip on the now deceased hunter and on the wall to avoid them, going to the ground. When it touched the floor, several hunters put a steel, cratelike cage over the dragon.

The vikings attacked the hunters, who were in low numbers. After they had been defeated, the vikings went to the cage. The dragon was thrashing, wildly, in it and they knew that they would have to be careful in order to release it. Cautiously, Dagur went and lifted the cage. He did not have to lift it far because as soon as a couple of inches were provided, the flattened form of the dragons slithered out. It went back to normal size and eyed the scene, taking in that those who had attacked it were either dead or unconscious. It did not climb the wall this time and looked at its helpers, almost curiously. The dragon singled out Eerika and crept over to her, examining the viking. While it did not seem ready for the hand to palm thing yet, the unusual dragon seemed receptive to her. "We can protect you again, if somebody tries to come after you again." Eerika told the reptile. It seemed to be thinking about what she was implying. The people, Triple Stryke, and Razor Whip exited the cave, seeing the Hobblegrunt and Sweet Death not too far from the cave entrance, both with dead hunters at their claws. Just as Eerika worried that she would have to keep looking for another dragon, she sensed a body coming up to her. The dragon, shyly, looked around and stood near her. Eerika smiled and mentioned, "Seems like we'll be having some new residents."


	26. Possible Residents

After the battle against the hunters, all unconsicous vikings were dumped into the sea and the deceased were left for famished dragons to eat. When this was over, the leaders eyed Neilson, skeptically, though spoke amongst themselves. "He's definitely with the hunters. There's no other reason they'd have him here except to start his training and keep a lookout." Dagur said, glaring at the boy, "Still, I wouldn't feel right about killing the kid." he admitted. Mala nodded, "I am sure that there is something else that we can do with him." Neilson was quivering with fear and spoke up, a tremble in his voice, "I don't have any loyalty to these people. They only tried to force me into becoming a hunter after my parents got killed when I was younger. I never wanted to capture dragons, but they would have killed me too." Heather listened and felt a tug at her heart. The ordeal was very much a déja-vous for the Berserker, "They can't hurt you now, so do you have anywhere else to go?" she asked, although felt like she knew the reply. Dejectedly, Neilson shook his head, "No. My parents sailed a lot and never really settled down anywhere. Because of that, the only real 'home' I've had **was **with the hunters."

Heather went over to the leaders and spoke quietly, "Isn't there something that he could do on the island? He's just a kid and shouldn't be out on his own so soon." Mala and Dagur glanced back at Neilson, then to the second-in-command. "It is getting to be late, so let's return home. Also, this is not quite the best place to speak of the matters." the queen said. She turned to the young hunter, "For this evening at least, you may spend the night on our island. That is, if you so chose." Neilson's eyes brightened, "Thank you!" Picking up that the vikings were still feeling hostile towards him, the boy kept his distance. While hearing what was going on, Eerika was also thinking about the dragons. Though she liked the one that she had found in the cave, the issue was that it-or **she** as the dragon seemed to be-was not equipped with any wings. The dragon was quite the stealthy thing, despite it, and it took everything for Eerika to keep track of where she was. Often, the dragon would zoom around, just out of the way, burrow into the ground, or slide in between some bushes and watch the others. It amused the girl because it seemed less due to a lack of gumption as it was just a habitual thing to do. What Eerika appreciated most was that the dragon did not try to flee when she went over to her.

The girl sat down next to the reptile and examined her back. _"Well, I'm not even seeing **small **wings, but she has to be a new kind of dragon. That, in and of itself, is enough of a reason to train her.__" _she thought, interested. When her parents had wrapped everything up with Neilson, they began to mount their dragons. Sleuther and Windshear helped to convince the Sweet Death and Hobblegrunt to ascend into the air with them. "Eri, are you ready to go?" Dagur asked, seeing that the young viking was still over by the unidentified reptilian. "I am, Dad. I'm just trying to figure out how to get her to come." she answered. Strykie tilted his head and walked over to the new dragon. He moved his tail to wrap it around her, but she pulled away and made a small noise of protest. Watching the others take to the sky, the dragon started to crawl away from the small space she had found and into a more open one. Once the dragon had, she wiggled her back, slightly, and wings commence popping out. Eerika's jaw dropped and she smiled, "Come on, girl. You can follow us to our island." Happily, Eerika leapt behind her mother to get onto Sleuther's saddle and Neilson joined Heather and the others on Windshear. The Razor Whip and Triple Stryke led the trio back to the island.

They arrived in the night and agreed that the dragons would be trained in the morning. In the meantime, they would be kept in the stables. The entire flight back, the three kids were thinking about names. Xanthe looked at the Sweet Death, who was acclimating well to the island and its vikings. She seemed nonchalant about them, while simultaneously intrigued. The Defender suggested a name, "Would you like to be called 'Allurer'?" Wagging, happily, the dragon appeared to accept the new title. The Hobblegrunt, likewise, was enjoying his new surroundings. He turned a deep purple and positively bounced and trotted along to the stables. With sheer joy and giddiness, the dragon looked at vikings with a smile visible in his eyes. "How about 'Bright Eyes'?" Mathias offered. After receiving a happy glance, the Berserker smiled, "Okay, then. That'll be your new name." The duo followed Xanthe and Allurer, leaving Eerika. She was observing as the dragon landed and returned her wings to her back. "I need to give your **species** a name first, then I'll have to give you one, personally." Tapping her chin, the viking watched as it stayed close to her. Flattening down, it examined everything and everyone from afar, though thoroughly.

"Stealthgazer." Eerika said, quietly. "What was that, Eri?" her father asked. Thinking about it for a moment more, she repeated it louder, "I think, I found a name for the type of dragon she is. How would you feel being a Stealthgazer?" The reptile looked at her and made a little noise that sounded content. "It describes you a bit without giving away too much information." the heiress stated, "It would be a terrible shame to spoil all the surprises that you have. You probably have more too." The Stealthgazer seemed to nod, knowingly, and glanced about for good hiding spots in the future. Having found one, she stowed away in between some cracks in a building. Eerika smirked and proceeded to have a look of decisiveness in her eyes, "Cachée." When the dragon peeked her head out to tilt it at Eerika, she explained. "It's French for 'hidden'." This earned a moderately more accepting reaction as the dragon left her space and walked next to Eerika's side again. Once they reached the stables, the vikings walked to the pins and received the doubtful glances from the dragons. Dagur sighed, "Fine. You'll have to stay in the arena, but you don't have to go in the pens...this time."

Allurer planted herself by the feeding station and began chowing down on fish, happily; Bright Eyes pranced around to find a nice place to sleep, becoming satisfied with a section near one of the pens; and Cachée snuggled into a miniscule crevice, still keeping an eye out. The vikings said goodnight to each other and returned to their huts, Heather deciding to follow her family and the young hunter. Throk, who had seen them arrive, approached them. "I heard that you all ventured to find dragons." he said, smiling, though noting the newcomer. Eerika beamed, "Yep. We brought back a Sweet Death, Hobblegrunt, and a new species." She could see as her uncle's eyes widened, "What?" he inquired, practically to himself. Mala grinned and placed a hand on his shoulder, "If only for a moment tomorrow, you should go with us to train them." The guard found his words, "I would be honored." Continuing on, the group stopped at an empty hut, "Here's where you'll be staying." the chief told Neilson. Bowing, gratefully, the boy entered. With that temporarily done, the five went to the leaders' hut. "Thanks again for bringing us to that island." Eerik. told her parents, "And for joining us, Aunty."

The adults regarded her, warmly. "It was quite joyful for us as well." Mala stated. Eerika sat down and rested her chin in her hand, "So what is the plan for Neilson?" Heather and Throk looked at the leaders, who appeared unsure. "We shouldn't just let him live here." Dagur commented, "Maybe we can find some other island that will take him." His sister's brows furrowed, "He's lost everything he's ever known. We can't toss him onto the next landmass and keep going. We might be the vikings that are able to help him change for the better. Besides, he doesn't even **want **to hunt dragons." Her face saddened, "If Hiccup and the others hadn't been willing to trust me, I don't know what would have happened." Dagur bit his lip, "I get that, Sis, but there's too much bad blood between us and the hunters. If he's trying to trick us too, like you were with the Berkians, then it won't matter how noble or ignoble his intentions might were. We'll still be killed and we have far too many lives to account for to risk that." Instinctively, he glanced at Eerika. Mala nodded, "All we know is what we have been told. Such trust is not often warranted for a stranger." Throk was in agreement with the rulers, "I shall begin to search for inhabited island at once." Heather fought hard to not scowl at them all. She understood their reasoning, yet could not shake the emotion she felt.

Straightening up, Heather gave a small nod and told the rest good night. After a brief silence, Throk excused himself and went to his own hut. Eerika glanced ar her parents, "Where would Neilson go, though? How many islands are willing to take in strangers?" The queen breathed, heavily, "I am not sure, but we shall find somewhere for him to live." Forcing a smile, she added, "You had best get some rest so that you are ready for tomorrow's work. It might not be simple to train a Stealthgazer." Eerika complied and hugged her parents, "Good night." she said. The leaders wished their daughter the same and she retired. Upon her leaving, Dagur leaned against a wall. "Heather's not going to give up on this anytime soon." he mentioned. Mala went by him, "That is probable." They spoke for a while, then finally retired themselves. While the family had each gone to bed, it took a long time for anyone to actually fall asleep. A nagging feeling arrived and stayed in the stomachs of the vikings, preventing neither slumber nor comfort. They thanked the gods when daylight came and rose for the day. Early that morning, the leaders, kids, and Throk were at the stables. "All righty." Dagur started, "Let's start off with them letting you on their backs."

Xanthe walked over to Allurer, who was about to start hypnotizing some of the trained dragons in the stable. The Defender went over with casualty and confidence. "Good morning." she greeted, formally. Receiving a somewhat interested head turn, Xanthe dared to go closer. "If you would not mind, I would like to get on your back." Slowly, the young girl started to place her hands on the Sweet Death's back to steady herself and raise her leg over to the other side. Allurer paid her little heed and peeked up at Xanthe, once she was successfully perched. "Well done, Xanthe!" Mathias and Eerika congratulated her. She beamed back, "Thank you. Good luck with both of yours." Mathias walked over to Bright Eyes, but failed to get too close as the Hobblegrunt kept running to various pens to see the different dragons. He was a deep, plum purple, seemingly oblivious to the annoyance he was giving his fellow reptiles. Only when a Monstrous Nightmare fired a blast at him, did he notice. Mathias rushed to calm down the situation, though stopped when he saw something happen. Instead of firing back, Bright Eyes turned a yellowish-purple and stared into the other dragon's eyes. Gradually, the Monstrous Nightmare calmed down. After a few seconds, it was completely pacified.

"I forgot that Hobblegrunts can affect other dragons' emotions." Mathias commented. The leaders nodded, "And that is why we did not assist." Mala told him. Curiousity satiated, Bright Eyes looked back at Mathias and hopped over to him. Warily, the Berserker got onto his back, almost falling off when the dragon moved again. "Woah, hold on, Bright." Stopping, the reptile let Mathias finish mounting. When he got up there, the boy was as happy as one could be. Now, Eerika had to go. First, she had found Cachée hiding **in **one of the pens. The Stealthgazer had gone entirely unnoticed by the Gronckle who owned that space. Eerika called her over and the reptile crept back out of the area, returning to her full size. The girl stepped near her with a kind smile, "I just want to see if you'd be willing to let me ride on you. We can learn to stop a lot of hunters together." She reached her hand out to the Stealthgazer's forehead and she looked at it as though it were a dancing Seashocker. Several moments passed before Cachée moved her head to the hand and lowered herself closer to the ground. Eyes twinkling, Eerika leapt onto her back. From this point, the students started to learn how to hover and fly on their reptiles. The dragons were all strong, so the extra weight was of no burden and the vikings had experience with other dragons, so they were not unaccustomed to riding.

Training that day went by quickly and efficiently. They kept it relatively simple with only flying and a few flips. Later on, they would practice with more combat. Cachée humored the vikings and entered a pen of her own. When everyone was done, the leaders and Throk went to speak on where the hunter boy would go. Before many words could be spoken, Heather ran over, carrying something in her hands. "Look!" she exclaimed. Going nearer, the group saw that she was holding a saddle. "What's this for? We don't use them and everyone that does, already has one." Dagur reminded her. The second-in-command had a determined look in her eyes, "Neilson made this. He's good at fixing and creating things. We could always use more work hands." The king rubbed the bridge of his nose, "Heather, we can't trust him to do that." He saw the expression in her face and grunted, "We can't." "**Please**. I'll take responsibility for what he does and doesn't do. I wouldn't be able to feel right about not helping out someone who's going through what I have." The chief and chieftess looked at one another, then at Heather's earnest face. "You will keep a close eye on his actions?" Mala inquired. Her sister-in-law nodded, enthusiastically, "I promise." The leaders glanced back at each other one more time, then Dagur spoke, "Then fine. But if he is untrustworthy and hurts our daughter, Sis, we will take him out. **I **promise that." They shook hands on it and Heather replied, "Deal."


	27. Newbies

The next morning, the viking trio was up and ready in the arena with their dragons. Dagur walked from one side to the next, arms behind his back. "You know how to mount your dragons and float a bit, but now you need to learn how to maneuver and do combat. Verbal and hand signals will be necessary for you and your new companions to communicate. Of course, **saying **the commands is easier to teach, so we'll start off with that." The chief moved some targets in front of the vikings and dragons, then stepped back to the side of them. "You'll need to know what kind of blast your dragon has-as well as the accuracy." he stated. Nodding, Eerika went to start them off. She patted Cachée's head and pointed to the targets, "Fire, please." she requested. The Stealthgazer eyed her and the objects. Opening her mouth, she fired a small, navy blue blast. It flew into and through the target, leaving a hole in its center. Eerika smiled, "Good girl, Cachée!" Mathias succeeded her, trying to goad Bright Eyes into keeping his focus on the target for longer than a moment. "Come on, Bright. Shoot." he said. After a few snaps of his fingers, Mathias was able to gain the full attention of the Hobblegrunt.

Bright Eyes looked at the target, then fired twice. The first shot missed, though he nailed it on the second try. Xanthe peeked down at her dragon and cleared her throat. "All right, Allurer, it is your turn." Understanding the statement, the Sweet Death widened her trap and sent out a powerful blast. Dagur clapped his hands, smiling, "Nicely done, all of you." An ornery spark twinkled in his eyes, "Of course, any self-respecting rider can hit a target on the ground. Before we get to your hand signals, you need to be able to hit objects-still and moving-from the sky. That **is **where you'll be most of the time, anyway." The king got onto Sleuther's saddle, then flew into the air with the Triple Stryke. After getting to be a good distance from the vikings, Sleuther did a flip and shot the items. The pair landed back down near the trainees. "That's what I want you to try now." Dagur told them. Mathias began this time and took to the sky. The Hobblegrunt did an agile flip, though missed by a mile. The Berserker rubbed his neck and chuckled, awkwardly, "Um, we'll need to work on that." Smirking, Dagur responded, "It's not easy to get on your first try." Eerika patted Cachée's side, "Let's go in the air." she suggested. The Stealthgazer glanced at her and the clear skies, warily. Steadfast, she plopped herself down on the floor.

Eerika crossed her arms in front of her, "We have to train, Cachée. Please, let's fly." Reluctantly, the dragon released her wings from her back and almost frowned. She and Eerika commenced flying and got right to where they needed to be, but the reptile noticed that she was drawing attention to herself. Seeing several vikings gawking at the new species, she clammed up and retracted her wings. Eerika held on tightly as they plummeted to the ground and her father and Sleuther already were about to assist, though realized that they did not have to. In order to slow down the fall just enough for safety purposes, Cachée had expanded her feet and glided down using webbing that was in between her claws. Once touching solid earth, Eerika released a breath that she noticed she had been holding. Tensely, she let go of the dragon, though with some spite. Cachée sat down again and started to crawl into a small space, forcing the viking to dismount. "Appreciate your investment in this exercise." Eerika said, sarcastically. Xanthe attempted the exercise, lastly. The Sweet Death and viking soared; however, when it was time for the flip, Allurer did less a spin as she did a lackadaisical turn. Sighing, the Defender got off of the dragon's back.

Dagur looked at the three, "So, apparently, accuracy, a lack of shyness, and agility need to be practiced." he declared, "It all should come eventually, but you'll need your ambition and your dragon's." He peeked down at the village and saw Heather as well as Neilson, "Class is over for now. I need to get back to checking in on everybody and you need to train more." With that, the chief left and headed down into the main area of the island. "Well done, Neil." He heard Heather commend, "After a few more, we should be good." The former hunter smiled at her and went back into a welding hut. The Berserker saw her brother and waved him over, not quite cognizant of the less than jovial expression. "Aren't these great?" she asked, gesturing to maces, bludgeons, and more, "Neil's either made or repaired all of these. He can really be a great help to us." Dagur stayed silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts, then looked at her, "Why is he working on weapons?" Heather's brow rose, "Because we need them." Taking a deep breath, Dagur ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "Exactly. Which is why we need trusted vikings working on them. As far as we know, the second you turn your head, he might sabotage the weapons and then we'll be at risk for attack."

Heather frowned, "He has to start somewhere. If he weren't making himself useful, you'd want him gone." Dagur raised his hands to the sky, "Of course I want him gone! If we're going to try to give him the benefit of the doubt, he needs to prove that we **should**. I don't just trust people for the heck of it." Gradually, his voice rose with more anger. Having just dealt with some vikings on where their sheep could roam, Mala overheard some of the conversation and went over. The siblings were both semi-glaring at one another, so she stepped over and took in what was occurring. "Heather," she started, calmly, "Neilson **is** permitted to stay here, though it might be best for us to start with him helping out for smaller things. The elders with ailing vision often want someone to read to them and they have an abundance of advice that they can share, in return. I am sure that he would not mind beginning with jobs like that." This placated the situation and Heather nodded, "That doesn't sound too bad. I'll go let him know." She went into the hut to inform the boy. Dagur grunted, though grinned at the queen, "Thanks, Malapoo." He kissed her cheek and she smiled. "I am not very enthused about harboring a hunter either." she divulged. The two began to walk around the island, looking for any other issue.

"What I don't get is how she can expect us to accept him so quickly." Dagur stated, as they strolled, "We're willing to try, but it doesn't happen over night. Gaining trust is challenging. It seems impossible to successfully earn sometimes." Mala looked at some of the younger vikings who were training with Throk and gave a wave. "How did the trainees do today?" the chieftess inquired. Chuckling, her husband replied, "They did okay. Certainly will need some work, but I expected as much." As the duo continued, Eerika, Xanthe, and Mathias were practicing their exercises. The Defender poked Allurer's side, "Can you not move faster?" she asked, bored. She received no attempt to speed up and leaned against the Sweet Death, sighing. Xanthe looked at the others, "Are you two having any more fortune than I am?" Shaking his head, Mathias tried to get Bright Eyes to narrow his attention down to the targets. Every other shot the Hobblegrunt made would hit, properly. Eerika glanced at her friends, emphasizingly, then back at where she thought Cachée was. Searching through some rocks, the viking found her. "Will you come out of there?" she requested. She reached her hand in and got smacked by the Stealthgazer's tail. Grunting, Eerika drew her hand back and scowled.

"If you knew that you wouldn't want to listen, why'd you follow us here?" Eerika questioned the reptile. Hesitantly, Cachée peeked out from the crevice and slowly inflated again. "Thank you." the young viking said. She tapped her chin, thoughtfully, "I know you'll hate it, but I need you to become accustomed to more vikings being present." Naturally, the dragon started to go back into the crack to hide. Eerika sighed and turned to the rest, "I am going to go down to the village to see if I can find some vikings. That way, Cachée will get used to it." After saying that, the princess walked into town and looked around at the various people. A lot of them looked busy, so she kept searching. The sound of happy laughter caught Eerika's attention and she noticed that it was coming from the library. Entering, the viking noticed that Neilson was in there reading to some of the older Berserkers and Defenders. She smiled and was about to leave when he motioned for her to come over with his hand. The boy had almost wrapped up the book and grinned after he had. Fervently, he was thanked by the vikings and then went over to Eerika. "Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate your family letting me stay here."

Eerika shrugged, "Don't mention it." She smirked at the book that he was holding, "They seemed to like you a lot." Neilson beamed, "It's actually kind of fun. I started doing some weapon repairs this morning, but got moved to this." He chuckled, "I don't think that your folks wanted me to be in charge of those." The girl looked at him, "Well, it's going to be a little bit before we get to know you." Neil's eyes twinkled, "Maybe we should hang out then. You know, get to know each other better. Then, you can tell them that I'm not terrible." he laughed. Eerika gave a small smile, "Maybe." she said, quietly, "I have to go, now though. Have fun over here and..." she trailed off, heading over to an aisle, "I'd recommend this section." Neilson nodded and watched as she left. The heiress found several available vikings and returned to the arena. It took another good while to convince Allurer to exit her space, however, she eventually did. The rest of the day was rather productive and the vikings concluded, feeling happy with their dragons. High-fiving, the trio practically shone with jubilation at one another. It was well into the evening when they finally finished and it was because Xanthe had promised to aid in preparing her family's dinner. "Bye, Xanthe." her friends said.

Despite being one short, the remaining vikings ensued with talking. They laughed and sparred, enjoying every moment of it. "Do you know what's weird?" Eerika asked her companion. The Berserker tilted his head, "What?" He had to duck his head to avoid a kick and side-stepped her. "Neilson was talking about he and I hanging out so that I could see he's to be trusted. I don't know, but it just seems awkward to me. I'd rather spend time with you and Xanthe, anyway." Mathias smiled, "I'm glad that you would. It **does **seem kind of odd that he'd ask that." he told, an odd tone in his voice. Eerika picked up on it, though could not pinpoint what it was. As it got later, they said their goodbyes as well. "Not to try to ditch Xanthe, but it was pretty fun just handing out with you." Mathias divulged, personally grateful that the night's darkness veiled his face. Eerika beamed, "I know what you mean." The two parted and went to their huts, unique feelings in their beings. Dagur and Mala came into the hut and saw their daughter. "Is something on your mind, Eerika? You look to be deep in thought." the mother mentioned. Eerika pursed her lips together, "I'm not, honestly, sure." Not certain what else to say on the topic, the family spoke on other subjects and had a pleasant evening. Training, relations, and new residents would be dealt with in the future.


	28. Instincts

**I really ****apologize for the longer wait this time. I cannot promise that it will be**** a one time thing because I have been extremely busy lately** **and it only will continue from this point on.**

Three years had passed since the new dragons and former dragon hunter had been brought to the Defender/Berserker Island. Now, Neilson was essentially a helper for various causes. Whatever needed to be done, he would offer his aid. While this greatly rose the trust of many vikings, it did little to sway the minds of the royal family. Dagur, Mala, and Eerika, could not shake the feelings of paranoia that they felt, even if they had wanted. Eerika would always be quite cordial with Neilson, but spent no more time with him than what was necessary to be polite. A small part of her felt bad about that. After all, assuming that he had been telling the truth, he was just a victim of poor circumstances. Oftentimes, the young man would go over to her and try to ignite a conversation. One day was no different from the others and Neilson practically ran over to Eerika, who was on her way to the stables. "Hey, Eerika!" he called, excitedly. A low grunt escaped the princess's lips, but she forced a pleasant expression and turned to him. "Hi, Neilson. How's it going?" The viking leaned against a tree and sighed, nearly invoking another from Eerika. "It's going okay, I guess. You know, just going around and trying to figure out who needs help. **E****veryone** seems to." he laughed, "That keeps me busy, at least."

Eerika chuckled, "Trust me, they really appreciate it. They might not always show it, but they do." That made Neilson smile, brightly, though it didn't last long and turned into a solemn expression. "What's wrong?" the heiress inquired. He heaved a sigh again, "I guess, I've just been kind of tired of only hanging out with people that want me around to help them." he divulged. Eerika stayed positive, "The island's full of vikings, Neilson. You've really won everyone over, so I'm sure if you stayed in one place for a long enough time, they'd be up for something." The boy gave a sad smile, "Thanks. Well, I'm not busy right now. Do you want to hang out?" Eerika thought about it and mentally shrugged, "I was heading over to the stables, but I don't think that they would mind you joining." _"This time." _she thought. Neilson tilted his head, "'They'?" he asked. Eerika nodded, "Mathias and Xanthe. They're expecting me." The young man gave a nod of understanding and practically skipped after the princess and she kept repeating, _"What have I gotten us into?" _in her mind. _"Come on, Eerika."_ she mused, _"This is the right thing to do. Ignore how **terrible **a thing it might seem to be."_ The viking wanted to be optimistic, but Neilson's overly enthusiastic expression did not sway her thoughts.

Eerika was not alone in her thoughts and Xanthe and Mathias looked somehow less thrilled than she did to find a fourth wheel. Neilson waved, happily, then started to look at all the dragons. While he was doing this, Mathias and Xanthe went over to their friend. "Um, not to sound mean or anything, but why is Neilson here for our training?" the Defender inquired. "Because he spends everyday helping and has absolutely no friends." Eerika replied. Mathias looked conflicted, "I guess, it won't hurt for today." He peeked over his shoulder at Neilson, who was pretending like he hadn't been looking at them, "Especially if we're all here." the Berserker added, under his breath. The trio went back over to their dragons and began training with them. "It probably wouldn't be best to try to get you on your own dragon right now, but if you would help us arrange the targets, we can have them practice their accuracy." Eerika suggested. Neilson followed her instructions and looked like he could not have enjoyed himself anymore if he had been made chief. "Your dragon's really cool, Eerika." he commented, watching as Cachée punctured a target with her blade-like blast. "Can I try to ride her?" the boy asked. Immediately, the Stealthgazer snarled at him.

Without missing a beat, Eerika responded, "No." Neilson looked disappointed, "Why not?" _"Because I said so." _the viking mused to herself, "Because she's a unique type of dragon that doesn't warm up to everyone. Do the wrong thing and she might end up **killing** you instead of flying with you." He did not seemed convinced and suggested, "You could teach me how to work with her." Eerika shook her head, "I really don't want anyone else to know how to ride her, if they don't need to." Neilson refrained from pressing the matter further. After some more training, Bright Eyes and Allurer rested while Cachée and Eerika flew for a bit. Neilson marveled at her, earning a mild glare from Mathias. "So, Neilson," he said, diverting the young man's attention, "I'm sure that you've had your fix of fixing stuff. What do you want to do?" The thought mildly surprised the viking in question. "I'm not sure. I guess, I haven't really thought about it like that." he admitted, then smiled, "I know that Eerika will end up being queen/chieftess, but I couldn't tell you what I'll do." Neilson waited for Eerika and Cachée to land so that he could walk over to them. "This was fun." he commented, "We should hang out more often. Just you and I." Eerika only smiled back as he waved goodbye. "See ya soon." he called, happily. The trio responded with "Bye".

Frowning, Mathias went over to Eerika, "You don't plan on doing that, do you?" She looked at him as though he had just breathed fire, "Of course not. Today wasn't too bad or anything, but I don't want just he and I to hang out." This seemed to brighten up the young Berserker's face and everyone trained a bit more. That evening, while returning home, Eerika saw Neilson again. He started jogging to catch up with her. "I'll probably have some free time tomorrow. We should go fishing or something. That'd be great." he suggested. Eerika disagreed, "I don't know about that. Maybe we all can do something again some time." "But, fishing has to be done eventually, so how about we do it? Or, it doesn't have to be that. We could hunt some wild boars or you could help me as a farm hand. I'll be around Olaf's chickens." the viking continued. "Neilson, I have my first inspecting of the traders. That'll take up all of tomorrow. I won't have time to do much else." the princess informed him. He nodded, "I know about the inspection. It's a lot of responsibility to make sure that everything goes all right." Neilson paused, momentarily, and cleared his throat, "I'm not saying that we'll waste the entire day by doing random things." Eerika was quiet for a moment and he began to speed up, becoming an obstacle in her path.

Eerika maintained her pace and brushed by Neilson. "I'm not doing any of that. Certainly not tomorrow, at least." The boy's brows commenced furrowing, "I didn't think that I was asking **too** much." he stated, irritably. "Well, for it to be accomplished **then**, you are. I can't make promises when I don't know all the factors and besides, I'm not obligated to do that, even if I am available." Eerika replied, feeling a growing sense of anger. Neilson stopped walking and glared instead. He was promptly ignored and Eerika reached her hut. She gave an upset huff when she entered, accidentally drawing her parents' attention. "What's wrong, Eri?" her father inquired. Eerika opened her mouth, then closed it without having said a word. _"I might be looking too far into this."_ she thought. "Nothing too bad is wrong. I am a bit annoyed, but who isn't sometimes?" she answered. Dagur and Mala looked at her, skeptically. "If you find that you want to elaborate on the cause, please do." the queen requested, in her customary way. "Thanks, Mom, but I think that I can handle it." From the corner of her eye, Eerika saw that Dagur was looking out of the door to see if he could find who the problem was. He looked like he had not seen anyone and closed it again, but not prior to a mild scowl forming on his face. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" he asked, beginning to grin.

Nerves started rushing into Eerika's body, "Maybe. I hope that I can make sure I don't pick someone with poison." Dagur laughed, "Yeah, that would be for the best. There's no real way to know beforehand, though." Mala shook her head in agreement, "You must rely on your instincts and judgings of the traders' characters." While Eerika appreciated the advice, it did not make her feel any more confident. Before long, she went to bed and saw herself picking out a trader. As soon as she had selected him, he transformed into what she had heard Traitor Johann looked like. Hunters piled onto the island in swarms and carnage ensued. Eerika jolted awake and decided to start training, finding herself unable to return to slumber. A couple of hours passed before Xanthe showed up. "Should you not be getting ready at the docks?" she asked, "I was just going to do a quick, new battle move with Allurer." Her friend frowned at a punching dummy and kicked it, "Neilson was acting strangely after we all hung out yesterday. He would not stop insisting that I spend time with only him." Xanthe rose a brow, "Did you tell your parents?" After seeing the other viking shake her head, Xanthe crossed her arms, "And why not? Your parents are the king and queen! With a snap of their fingers, they could end this situation." Eerika hit the dummy again, "I'm aware, but that's almost why I didn't say anything. I'll be ruler one day, so I can't rely on them to fight my battles now."

Xanthe's tone turned serious, "They are still your parents, Eerika. No one would think less of you for simply bringing this to their attention. They might not even do much." Eerika scoffed and looked at her, doubtfully, "**Please**. They already don't like him. If they think that he's going to be an issue in regards to me, either one of them might kill him, if not, both. I'm not even sure if he were that angry, so I wouldn't feel right if I were to over-dramatize it all and have him pay." Xanthe still seemed ill at ease, but knew that there was little she could say to dissuade her companion. As time drew closer to when the choosing had to be done, the friends split up and Eerika began going to the Hall. She was to meet her parents there first, and then they all would go to the docks. It was a stressful trek, but not so much so as to obstruct her from sensing that someone was coming up to her. Nearly hidden by the shadows of the buidings, it was Neilson, but also a small child. The kid appeared to be terrified and Eerika quickly saw the reason: a blade was against his throat. She knew better than to attack and raised her hands, peacefully, "Why are you doing this?" she inquired, with a calm that shocked even herself. Neilson's face was stern and his eyes were colder than she thought they even could be. "Because, I'm finishing a plan that I started years ago. Now, let's go over there, so we won't be in plain sight."

The three went between some old buildings that needed to be repaired. Hardly anyone went near them, so they were an ideal location to Neilson. "Toss your weapons onto the ground." he instructed. Eerika disarmed, though kept her blades concealed on her. A chain was flung at her feet. "Don't think that I haven't heard about your father's reputation for getting out of ropes. Chain your wrists. together." Neilson ordered. When he assumed that she was hesitating, he pushed the blade slightly into the young boy's neck, provoking a whimper. "I'm doing it." Eerika assured him. Once she had, Neilson tied up the kid and went over to her. He made sure that the chains were actually locked and then stared at her, thinking. "I've also heard about that whole 'having a lot of knives on you' thing." he said. The vikings patted her up and down, taking a few too many precautions and too long. Eerika fought the urge to squirm and just bit her lip. He noticed her uncomfortability and smirked, "This wouldn't be so awkward to you, if you had ever agreed to know each other better." He found five knives and it almost amused Eerika that he had missed so many. _"Thank you, Dad." _she mused. Neilson led her down to the coast, avoiding any and every viking.

It was an odd path, but one with very many cracks and crevices; however, all them could be covered by the wood splinters that were practically piled outside the buildings. With a swift and unnoticeable quick amongst the various sounds of other vikings, Eerika knocked them into the small holes. They reached the coast and Neilson had a boat waiting for them, then told her to get in. He started rowing them away as Eerika's bravado felt as small as her home began to look.


	29. Abductee

Dagur and Mala waited in the Hall and kept looking at the entrance. "I think that she'll be fine." the king said, "She's seen us pick out people for a long enough time to know how to herself." The chieftess nodded, "And we will be there, if any advice is required." As more time passed, the royals grew anxious. "It's not like Eri to be late." Dagur commented, a pit forming in his stomach. "Perhaps she forgot that we were to meet here first?" Mala offered. The two exited the Hall and went down to the docks. When they did not find their daughter there, they went to the stables. library, then hut. The parents fought hard to not allow panic to siege their hearts and minds. They were not the only ones to notice the delay in trader selecting. Soon, Heather, Throk, Mathias, and Xanthe were leaving the docks to search for the family. All of them ran into each other in the middle of the island. "Have you seen Eerika?" the queen asked, desperate for a positive result. All but Xanthe shook their heads. "I saw her this morning. She was in the stables and.." the Defender paused, thinking about what her friend had said, _"Sorry Eerika." _she thought, _"If something is wrong, they need to know." _Xanthe cleared her throat and started up again, "And she told me that Neilson was acting strangely. Apparently, he was irascible over the fact that she could not spend time with him today."

The royals were quiet for a second and then began putting a plan into action. "Search around for any evidence left behind. If there is anything that looks suspicious, alert us." Mala instructed the others as she and Dagur rushed off. They scoured the area, looking for clues. All the while, the parents felt furious. _"I **knew**, that hunter couldn't be trusted." _Dagur fumed, _"Before he knows it, his head will have a new resting spot." _Mala was thinking quite the same thoughts and found that the rage was almost difficult to manage. When her husband started speeding up, she inquired, "Where are you going?" He turned his head over his shoulder, "To let the dragons out so that they can help us. If anyone other than you or me can find Eerika, it's Cachée." The chief ran to the stables and released the Stealthgazer, then the others. Instinctively, the reptiles were aware that something was wrong. Cachée took off, with Dagur close behind. The dragon serpentined between crevices and open plains in her search. Finally, she stopped and began sniffing an area nearby the east coast of the island. All of her favorite cracks had been blocked by pebbles-that had never occurred before and could not have unless done, purposefully.

"They must have set off on this side. At least that gives us an idea for the direction." Dagur said, before he quickly returned to the hut to grab some maps. On his way back, the chief heard some muffled noises. He followed them and found a young viking that had been tied up and gagged. After the youth had been freed, a fountain of words rushed out his mouth, "Chief, Neilson caught me and threatened to kill me if Eerika didn't go with him!" Dagur bit his lip, _"**That's **how he got her. The boy's too much of a coward to even fight someone with skill."_ He thanked the viking for the information and and sent him back to his parents. Scanning the map for islands off the east of theirs, he found several. The king balked and peeked at Cachée, "Can you track her?" Understandingly, the dragon roared and waited for the rest to be mounted. As soon as they had, Cachée brought out her wings and flew into the sky. "With our speed, the headstart that they had will make little difference." Throk stated, hopefully. Mathias and Xanthe gave small nods of agreement while the parents barely heard what had been said. They were too focused to listen to anything that did not directly aid in finding Eerika. Heather, too, was silent. An unpleasant sensation of responsibility overcame her and the Berserker tried to push it down, though to no avail. _"If I hadn't been so determined to help Neilson out and have him stay on the island, this never would have happened."_

On the sea, Neilson rowed, nearly unrelentingly; however, he began to slow his pace and have heaving breaths. When he could not row anymore, he stopped and looked over the side of the boat. He just happened to pause at an especially putrid part of the sea. "Care to jump in? I'd suggest inhaling deeply afterwards." Eerika snarked, scrunching up her face. Neilson frowned at her, "I didn't bring us all this way just to drown." Despite saying this, he commenced rocking the vessel, violently. Eerika attempted to steady herself, but Neilson made the whole boat tip over into the water. He surfaced, quickly, though the large chains weighed Eerika down. She still managed to not sink, nevertheless, it was a difficult feat. Neilson flipped the boat right side up and swam over to Eerika. She wanted to reach for her knife and cut him, inviting a multitude of famished sharks to their direction, but a few things prohibitied that. Her lack of an ability to reach the blade, for starters, and also the fact that she would not be able to row far enough away before the creatures arrived. Filled with disgust, she was grabbed by the waist and tossed back on the boat. Her captor boarded as well, appearing to be very proud of himself. "What? You just prefer this fragrance?" Eerika asked him. Neilson stuck out his chest, "With this odor, your dragons won't be able to track you from scent. I don't want them trying to follow us anytime too soon. There'll be a time for that later." he stated.

A long, however, relatively silent ride ensued. It concluded with the two vikings docking at a familiar-looking island. Eerika glanced around and pondered, _"Hey, is this-"_ "Remember this island?" Neilson asked. Nodding, the princess raised a brow, "I do. This is the island where we found our dragons and you." The hunter led her to a cave and he closed up the entrance. "Not all that I said were lies." he admitted, "But I'm **not **someone who wants to live 'happily ever after' with vicious reptiles as my friends. Of course, I'll acknowledge that dragons can come in handy." Neilson reached his hand into a pile of rocks and pulled out a piece of paper. He began writing on it, then went over to two Terrible Terror-who had made themselves at home in the cavern-and attached the scroll to one's horn. After the thing flew away, he smiled, "Now, you've probably been wondering why I picked such an obvious location. Well, I want your parents to be able to find us. It's vital to my plan." Pulling out another scroll, he again started his writing. The other Terror was scrolled up and sent on his mission. "This should be a time to remember, Eerika." Neilson beamed as he lit a fire. Rubbing his hands together, he exclaimed, "I can't wait until tomorrow!" The young man looked at Eerika, "Night," he said, "See ya in the morning."

Cachée zoomed over the seas, sniffing the air. She went a bit farther and halted. "Why are we stopping?" Heather asked, finally uttering words. Dagur watched as the Stealthgazer circled around in despair. "I think that she's lost the trail." the king said. Mala looked and shook her head, desperately, "No, that cannot be. We have to find Eerika." The chief eyed the dragon and queen, sadly, "We'll need to figure out his plan, but until then, we can search the closest islands. Split up. It'll be faster that way and if none of us find them in three hours, meet back up on the island." Before everyone separated, Dagur stated, "But Xanthe and Mathias need to go together. We don't know what kind of training Neilson got before we met him." The youths nodded and flew off, side by side. Sleuther used his full speed and resembled a shooting star. The pit in Mala's stomach invoked her to speak, "How are you not furious right now?" she inquired. Her husband kept facing the water, "I am, but I'm used to it. Trust me, though, nothing would make me happier than running Neilson through and flinging his limp body to the other hunters as a warning." A scornful chuckle escaped his lips, "You couldn't imagine all the meditation chants I've been reciting in my head." Mala was quiet and looked back out to the sea. It was so vast and empty; however, hopefully the latter would end soon.

"Neilson is targetting you and I through Eerika, but where would he take her?" Mala wondered, aloud. "Not sure." Dagur divulged. The others felt similarly about the entire ordeal. Throk could not ignore the ache of failure that tugged at his heart, _"I am the head of the guards. It is my sworn duty and priviledge to **protect **the royal family. How could I have allowed Neilson to abduct Eerika? We must find her. I could never forgive myself if.."_ He did not want to finish the thought and forced a positive mentality. Meanwhile, Mathias and Xanthe were both deep in thought. _"I **knew **that we should have told the king and queen." _the Defender mused, upset, _"I should have held my ground on that." _She began wringing her hands with the persistent nerves that plagued her. Mathias's grip tightened around Bright Eyes's saddle, it being imagined to be Neilson's throat. _"I've known that guy was trouble from the beginning. That way he's always looked at her. I guess, I just thought I was being overly protective, but he'll go down hard for this."_ Islands were scoured and within those three hours, almost all of the islands in proximity to theirs had been searched. The team returned to the Berserker/Defender Island, each hoping that someone had better news than what they could offer.

Unfortunately, they were aware by the forlorn expressions that no one had any progress. "Maybe he's working with some other hunters and brought her to one of their sites?" Heather suggested. Dagur was about to comment, though started tilting his head, in curiousity, as he looked at something behind her and the others joined him. Sitting on a rock, was a Terrible Terror. The chief untied a scroll that was attached to the reptile and unraveled it. "'Chief Dagur and Queen Mala, at tomorrow's noon,'" the Berserker read, "'bring four chests of gold to the island where we all met. If you do not, your daughter will be-'" He scowled at the paper and skipped to the next part, "'Only you two are allowed to be anywhere near the island. If others are seen, the same will occur.'" There was a brief lapse of speech, "It's a trap." Mathias said, breaking the silence. The parents nodded, "Yes," Mala stated, "But one that we can possibly avoid." She looked at Dagur and the two formulated a plan. "That's risky." Heather said, unconfidently. "It's **all **going to be." Her brother told her. The younger viking bit her lip, "What if one of you isn't able to return?" "What matters is that we can get Eerika out, definitely." Mala added, "And **that** is worth any and every risk."


	30. Deliver

Night fell over the already dark cave and the sound of snores filled the room. While Neilson slept, Eerika quietly stood up and went around the cave. With some work, she got closer to reaching her blade. Luckily, since Neilson had had her chain herself, she had been able to position her arms behind herself and closer to the knife. _"All I'd need to do is stab him, then I would be...still chained up. I could find the keys on him, hoping that he ever planned on unchaining me and actually still has them_ _on him." _The viking stared at him and kept trying for the weapon. When she got a hold of it, she went over to him. She jumped, lightly, so that she could move her hands from by her back to in front of her. Next, the princess took her blade out and crept over to Neilson. Before Eerika could do anything, she heard some new voices and a lot of them. Stealthily, she peeked out the cave. Squinting to see through the brush that kept them hidden, she was able to spot several ships pulling into the harbor and docking. She bit her lip, _"Dang it. He called for backup._ _There'd be no point in killing him now. It is not like there is a good place to hide and I need time to think of a new plan."_

Silently, she jumped again and moved her hands back behind herself. As the vikings approached, more noise naturally came and Neilson awakened. He brushed himself off and glared at Eerika-who at this point was pretending that she was asleep. Just before he tried to kick her awake, she moved. It was tempting to laugh at his disgruntled expression, though her own angst was more than enough of a deterrent from anything resembling joy. Large vikings with spiked helmets marched into the cavern. Eerika had never actually seen dragon hunters in person and had only heard about them and her own imagination could do little to fully convey these guys. It was not even so much that they were of an intimidating stature, but their presences radiated the fact that they killed for the heck of it and tortured for fun. A part of the princess was curious about how the interaction between them and her captor would be. "Glad to see you got my message." Neilson told them. His voice was as cold as when he abducted Eerika and ten times as serious. "How do we know if they got theirs?" the most sinister-looking of the group asked. Neilson smirked and pointed to Eerika, "I'll give you an easy way. If she's still looking like this and isn't in pieces, you know that they didn't get the note."

The hunters began talking about all the horrific ways they would kill the Berserkers and Defenders, sufficiently making Eerika's stomach churn with rage. Thrice, she was tempted to leap one more time in order to slash Neilson's throat. She could tell that he wanted a reaction out of her and badly. With every other caustic remark, he would side-eye the heiress. Finally, when he was completely annoyed that she was not saying anything, he directly spoke to her. "What do you think about all that, Eerika? Like the idea of us killing the pompous Queen Mala and Dagur the Deranged." Neilson chuckled, "I don't even need to come up with any insult. He made that one, himself." Eerika stared at him, blandly, and the young man continued. "You all shouldn't even be that upset about being around hunters. Your mom apparently loves us. After all, she **did **marry one, didn't she? You're half hunter." Still, the princess paid him no heed. Glowering, Neilson reeled back his arm and was subsequently kicked. After stumbling backwards, he motioned to the others. "Hold her down." he ordered. The hunters eyed each other for a moment and obeyed. Grabbing Eerika by the shoulders and head, they forced her, firmly, onto her knees. Once certain that she was immobile, Neilson again raised his arm. A hard punch went across the viking's face, though she just smirked.

Neilson's eyes widened for a moment, then narrowed, "I'm feeling wishy washy. I told your parents to come at noon, but I can use this time to have some fun." He eyed her, skeptically, "I won't leave your face totally scathed. Consider me merciful." The young hunger's hand reached behind his back and he drew a jagged knife. With his left hand, he held Eerika's jaw and used his right to carve from her cheekbone to her chin. Sharp pain followed a kick to the princess's side. Several more various attacks ensued, then she lost count. Loudly, a voice in her conscious told her to take the knife and cut him to pieces, but she could not listen. _"He's setting up my parents. If I have an unknown advantage, that might be the edge that we'll need later. Even if I'm just giving it to one of them."_ The viking imagined her parents being there and killing them. While her mother was beheading a hunter with her sword, Eerika's father dug the blade that she had into Neilson's neck. Such imagery sent a jolt of joy into the viking. She laughed, in less than an entirely normal manner. The hunters, though disturbed, were nonetheless undeterred. After what seemed like forever, they stopped. Neilson wiped his hands on his legs and went to look out the cave. "They'll be here soon." he said, quietly. The edges of his lips curved upwards, "Good thing that we're ready."

Before an hour passed, some hunters went over to Neilson, "They're about to dock now." The word "dock" took Eerika off guard. Head throbbing, she peeked over her shoulder to see if they were telling the truth. To her surprise, they were. Without Sleuther as a mode of transportation, the royals had traveled to the cave. Several hunters rushed out to the ship and Eerika heard the sounds of them lifting items. Prior to Dagur or Mala entering, Neilson roughly lifted the younger viking up and draped her over his shoulder. He moved her to another part of the cave where she could not see anything and tied a cloth around her mouth. The viking grinned and tapped her bloody cheek with his hand before heading back out to the main area. Eerika listened as her parents walked into the cave and Neilson welcomed them. "Good to see you both again." he greeted. He beamed when the other hunters reentered with the gold filled chests. "We brought what you wanted. Where's our daughter?" Dagur demanded. Neilson opened up the holders and took in all his newly acquired wealth. "Who?" He peeked up, then flicked his wrist, "Oh, she's around here somewhere."

Mala bit her lip, "Seeing as we have delivered on our part of the deal, you should be returning Eerika to us." Neilson shrugged, "I mean, that's what I **wrote**, but things have changed. I like having her around. Anyway, thanks for the gold." Neilson let some gold coins sift through his fingers, "It'd be a shame for you to come all this way without seeing her, though." He went behind some large boulders and carried the viking out, then set her down. A knot formed in Mala's throat that made her want to both decapitate Neilson and cry out in horror. Likewise, Dagur felt a rage that he had not in years. It genuinely hurt the two to see Eerika in such a poor shape. Through gritted teeth, the chief said, "I would suggest that you give our daughter back, if you want to have your insides **remain** inside." The hunter raised a brow, "Is that a threat?" A demented smile spread over the king's face, "A promise." he corrected. For a split second, Neilson's bravado faltered. To overcompensate for that, he puffed up, "Don't you want to know **why **I'm doing all this? Aren't you even slightky curious?" There was a pause, "Well, it's because of the two of you. If you can look back far enough in the list of people you've murdered, you might recall a pair of hunters that disguised themselves as traders." An unfortunate memory commenced playing back in the minds of the two. Neilson noticed, "So you **do **remember. I'm sure you two didn't care that they might have had a kid." The hunter glared at them. "Since I've lost my parents, it's only fair that you lose your daughter." He smirked, "Besides, imagine the happiness you'd deprive Eerika of, if you took her away." Emphasizing his point, he picked her back up, put their faces close, and stroked her hair.

With more ferocity than a Screaming Death, Dagur lunged at the hunter. Just as he grabbed Neilson, seven hunters were on top of him, trying to pry him off. In the disturbance, Eerika had managed to get out of Neilson's hold and garner enough strength to jump over her hands again. With the knife, she went to stab the hunter, but was yoked up by another hunter before she could. Hiding it again, she pretended to slump. Terror was in Neilson's eyes as his throat was grasped in Dagur's hand. Mala drew her weapon and impaled the hunters attempting to restrain her husband. As Dagur's hand clenched into a fist, the life began to fade from Neilson. Just before the deed could be done, a hunter put an ax to Eerika's throat. "Release him and I'll release her." he stated. The Berserker saw something from the corner of his eye and dropped Neilson. The larger hunter smirked, though was cut off by a blast in the back of his head. He fell forwards and Eerika side-stepped to avoid being squashed. Her eyes lit up as she spotted a familiar reptile.


	31. Moving On

**I am s****orry for this insanely long wait. I did not have a break between essays, presentations, and tests. Now that I have a bit of time, I hope that you all enjoy the conclusion of this story.**

Glowering in all of her ferocious glory was Cachée. As quickly as she had appeared, she vanished. The reptile serpentined back and forth between the crevices and open space. After doing a backflip while kicking a hunter, Mala ran over to Eerika. She frowned at the chains and glanced about for Neilson, trying to find the keys. The young viking was nowhere to be seen. "Stay still." Mala instructed, drawing her sword. Swiftly, she cut the chains from their center. Helping her daughter stand, Mala brought Eerika outside of the cave. The last remnants of the hunters were taken out by Dagur and Cachée. The chief slashed the throat of a large viking that had charged at him and threw a dagger into an attempted dragon harpooner's chest. Despite the larger numbers of hunters, the pair's rage acted as the best arsenal they could have asked for. Five hunters surrounded Cachée and Dagur, respectively. Seeing this, the Stealthgazer blasted several and tried to shoot the rest. She stopped, realizing that her strike limit had been reached. Quickly, she began to force the other hunters back into a wall. Once she had them there, her eyes began to alternate between shades of violet and lavender. The hunter's stern glowers turned blank and their knees went out from underneath them. While they fell to the ground, Dagur watched as the dragon acted as though nothing strange had occurred. Shaking off the new skill, the two rushed out to see Eerika.

Though the king wanted to embrace Eerika, he did not trust himself enough to be able to not cause the princess harm. Before Dagur could be happy, he noticed that Neilson's corpse was not nearby. "He has escaped." the queen told him, knowing what had provoked the chief's distressed expression. "We'll find him, but let's get Eerika home first." Dagur said, moving towards their vessel. Mala and Eerika got onto Cachée's back while Dagur began to navigate the ship back to their island. Gently, the Stealthgazer took to the sky and started soaring. A mild breeze blew in the air. It was soothing to Eerika and she closed her eyes, listening to the sounds that the wind carried. Doing this, the heiress heard a peculiar noise. The sounds of angry grunts filled her ears and Eerika turned to look behind them. Practically hidden by the brush, Neilson had a dragon root tipped arrow, readied for firing. Just as his fingers traced alongside the bow, Eerika grasped her knife from behind her back and threw the weapon. Speeding through the sky, sharp metal made contact with Neilson's jugular. Some gurgling ensued before the viking slumped down to the ground. Eerika realized that she had been holding her breath and released a sigh of relief.

Decades passed and several small vikings scurried around a hut. The little ones laughed as they play fought, regularly bringing talk of dragons into the mix. "Lava attack!" the smallest of the kids shouted, excitedly. The other two shook their heads, reprimandingly. "No, you said that you were a Razor Whip. They don't **have **lava." From this disagreement, a physical fight broke out. Two older vikings peeked their heads into the room. "Okay, okay, settle down. If you want to throw punches, you need to have good forms while doing so." The woman demonstrated how to do so with the male viking. Stopping, the kids nodded, "Okay, Mom." With a slightly improved technique, the trio continued their battle. The dark haired man chuckled, "At least they have someone to teach them how to beat each other down...the right way." They watched as their children tossled and rolled into another room. This room had an older couple, one practicing fencing moves and another sharpening a blade. When the kids rolled into the older man's leg, they stopped, "Sorry, Grandpa." they said, in unison. Their grandfather was unfazed and smiled, broadly, "You've all got the aggression, but you're using it against the wrong people."

"Do you have another story about battling?" a bright eyed, red haired child inquired. "**Do** I?" A deranged twinkle shone in the eyes of the young girl's grandfather. Her grandmother smirked, "Do not encourage him. You might have grandchildren of your own by the time he is finished with that topic." The greying,

but still fit viking pulled up some chairs and gestured towards them, "What era are you looking for this time? Heroic tales of your great uncle Hiccup and the Berkians? The changing of alliances for the Outcasts? Vicious dragon hunters and a traitorous trader? Maybe the fantastic deeds of your mother?" Excitement was audible in his voice as he thought of sharing these details of history with the youth. Hearing him, their parents entered. "Dad, why don't you tell them stories about you and Mom? You always talk about everyone else, but I remember being fascinated with tales of what you two had done." Her husband nodded, wrapping an arm around the young queen, "They ask about your adventures a lot." The grandmother agreed with that, "Eerika and Mathias have a point, they should hear about their grandparents and who better to tell them, than you and I?" Dagur stroked his beard, thoughtfully, and gave a short laugh, "Fair enough. We should start at the beginning with how we met." He dramatically cleared his throat and started to set the scene. "So, there was the Dragon Eye and its lenses, but also a need to have a hiding spot. Your grandmother and I were at the top of the list for people to be in charge of it, but we were a bit less than friends in the beginning. Because of this, the twins..."


End file.
